Heparin-bonded cardiopulmonary bypass circuits reduce the rate of red blood cell transfusion during elective coronary artery bypass surgery.

OBJECTIVE

This study compared the transfusion rates of patients treated with heparin-bonded circuits with the transfusion rates of patients treated with standard bypass circuits with and without -aminocaproic acid (EACA).

DESIGN

Prospective double-blind (drugs), open trial (cardiopulmonary bypass circuits).

SETTING

University medical center.

PARTICIPANTS

Seventy-one patients undergoing elective am admission coronary artery bypass graft surgery.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

Patients were randomized to receive either heparin-coated cardiopulmonary bypass circuits (HBCPB), nonheparin-coated cardiopulmonary bypass circuits and EACA (EACPB), or nonheparin-coated bypass circuits and placebo (control). Patients were transfused if their hematocrit was <18% while on cardiopulmonary bypass or <25% at any time after the cardiopulmonary bypass period. The rate and number of transfused packed red blood cells (pRBCs), platelets, fresh frozen plasma, and cryoprecipitate were measured. A Fisher exact test showed that the transfusion rate was as follows: the HBCPB group (5.0%), the EACPB group (18.2%), and the control group (36%), (p = 0.034).

CONCLUSIONS

The heparin-bonded cardiopulmonary bypass-treated patients in this study received fewer pRBCs than did the control group. A nonsignificant reduction in the pRBC transfusion rate was found between those with heparin-bonded bypass circuits and those with standard circuits who received epsilon-aminocaproic acid.