Fibrinogen: A Clinical Update on Liver Transplantation

Hemostatic and coagulation disorders related to severe liver disease may cause massive bleeding beyond what can be expected from surgical trauma in liver transplantation. Fluid resuscitation and fibrinolysis may aggravate the problem, as plasma fibrinogen decreases in all patients. The objective of this review was to update the criteria for fibrinogen replacement in liver transplantation.

A PubMed and Scopus search from 1990 to 2015 was made. The following key words were used: fibrinogen, liver transplantation, coagulation, and blood product replacement. Controlled trials and observational studies were selected on the basis of clinical relevance.

There is a scarcity of published controlled studies on perioperative fibrinogen replacement. Most articles refer to expert opinion; therefore, criteria for the administration of fibrinogen have been empirically established. The response to cryoprecipitate or fibrinogen concentrate administration in liver transplantation has not been established. Viscoelastic platelets free tests have been reported to have a good correlation with Clauss-measured plasma fibrinogen concentration. In surgical patients, the median increase in fibrinogen plasma level per gram injected has been determined in 0.2375 g/L. Alternatively, fibrinogen replacement can be guided based on viscoelastic hemostatic assays.

In liver transplantation, plasma fibrinogen levels are low in most patients during surgery. Fibrinogen administration to correct hypofibrinogenemia has a positive impact on surgical bleeding. However, there is a scarcity of literature about fibrinogen administration; therefore, administration should be adjusted to replace plasma fibrinogen levels in the range of normal and guided by thromboelastometry.