The effect of heparin reversal after carotid endarterectomy in the dog. A scanning electron microscopy study.

The purpose of this study was to determine reversal of heparin, immediately after carotid endarterectomy would have an adverse effect on the thrombogenicity of the endarterectomized vessel wall. After systemic heparinization, unilateral common carotid endarterectomies were performed under the operating microscope on 14 dogs. Half of the animals were given protamine sulfate to reverse the heparin. Three hours after resumption of blood flow, these arteries, as well as contralateral vessels used as controls for fixation technique, were perfused with glutaraldehyde and prepared for scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Thrombin clotting times were measured throughout the experiments. Sections of the endarterectomized portions viewed by SEM showed nearly total coverage of the exposed collagen of the media with flattened platelets. There were scattered leukocytes, but few erythrocytes, little fibrin, and no true thrombus. There were no difference between the animals that received heparin reversal and those that did not. A group of five additional arteries underwent the same procedure except that no heparin was given. As expected, large amount of thrombus had formed within the lumina of these control vessels by 3 hours. Since previous studies suggest that arterial thrombosis usually occurs within 3 hours of endothelial injury, the authors conclude that total reversal of heparin does not increase thrombogenicity of the endarterectomized vessel. This suggests that heparin may be safely reversed in patients to help maintain postoperative hemostasis.