Aprotinin reduces blood loss and the need for transfusion in orthognathic surgery

A randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial (n= 15 in each group) showed that patients given aprotinin intravenously (200 ml, [2000000 kallikrein inactivator units] before the operation and then 50 ml per h until the end of the operation) during simultaneous maxillary Le Fort 1 and mandibular sagittal split osteotomies, lost 52% less blood than controls (calculated by subtracting the volume of saline irrigant used from the volume of blood collected in the aspirator bottle and surgical drains). Patients given aprotinin lost a mean (SD) of 473 (190) ml compared with 986 (356) ml in controls. They also required significantly less transfused blood (1 was given 2 units in the aprotinin group compared with 9 given a mean of 1.5 units (range 1-4) in the control group). There were no complications attributable to this drug.