[Heparin concentration and hemostatic alterations with low systemic heparinization during CPB using heparin-coated...

Extracorporeal circulation with heparin coated circuits allows reduction of systemic heparin. The authors investigated the effects of this method on the hemostatic and fibrinolytic systems and heparin concentration simultaneously. Ten patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery were studied. The dose of heparin was 100 IU.kg-1, and the target activated clotting time (ACT) was more than 300 seconds. Blood samples were obtained at the following times; before and after giving heparin, 10 and 40 minutes after the start of extracorporeal circulation, after cross-clamp release, and after giving protamine, and heparin concentration, ACT, thrombin-antithrombin complex (TAT), plasmin alpha 2 plasmin inhibition complex (PIC), and D-dimer were measured. ACT was kept over 300 seconds without additional heparin administration. Heparin concentration was maintained at 1.0 IU.ml-1. However, after release of the aortic cross-clamp, TAT, PIC, D-dimer increased significantly. Despite reduced systemic heparinization, heparin concentration was maintained adequately. Thrombin generation and fibrinolytic activity showed no significant increase until the release of the aortic cross-clamp.