Iannoli Ellen D, Eaton Michael P, Shapiro Janine R
Department of Anesthesiology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, NY, USA.
Anesth Analg. 2005 Jul;101(1):74-6, table of contents. doi: 10.1213/01.ANE.0000153019.15297.0B.
There are few reports of the management of pediatric patients with heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) requiring cardiac surgery using currently available anticoagulants. We report a case of an infant with HIT requiring a bidirectional Glenn shunt who was successfully managed using lepirudin (r-hirudin, Refludan; Aventis, Bridgewater, NJ). Dosing and monitoring of anticoagulation were difficult, and we suggest caution in the use of lepirudin for cardiac surgery unless reliable monitoring of the degree of anticoagulation becomes available.