[Bivalirudin and cardiac surgery: two case reports]

Sabina Caciolli1, Domenico Prisco, Pierluigi Stefano

  • 1UO di Cardiochirurgia, Centro Emostasi e Trombosi, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Careggi, Firenze. sabinacaciolli@tele2.it

Giornale Italiano Di Cardiologia (2006)
|August 6, 2008
PubMed

Immune reactions to heparin and in particular heparin-induced thrombocytopenia are not rare and potentially fatal complications of heparin treatment. These conditions are frequently underdiagnosed in cardiac surgery. Moreover, few data are available in the literature about the use of alternative anticoagulants to heparin in this setting. We describe the successful use of bivalirudin in 2 patients with hypersensitivity to heparin who underwent cardiac surgery.