Hetastarch as a prime for cardiopulmonary bypass.

Hetastarch, a synthetic colloid osmotic plasma volume expander, was employed in a prime for cardiopulmonary bypass in 37 patients undergoing myocardial revascularization. Comparison of laboratory values to those of 42 patients undergoing myocardial revascularization using an albumin-containing prime showed lower postoperative platelet counts (p less than 0.02) with hetastarch. There were no differences in chest tube drainage, blood use, plasma hemoglobin, fibrinogen levels, of coagulation times. The hetastarch prime cost $119.50 per patient, whereas the albumin-containing prime cost $321.35 per patient.