Computer-assisted heparin monitoring

Heparin monitoring during procedures involving cardiopulmonary bypass using the Bull protocol has been programmed using a microcomputer. The program displays the in-vivo heparin tolerance curve and the patient's effective plasma heparin level along this curve. It calculates the incremental dose of heparin necessary to achieve effective anticoagulation throughout the procedure. At the conclusion of the procedure, the dose of protamine needed to neutralize the "on-board" heparin is calculated and displayed. The program also flags unusual in-vivo heparin response curves and suggests to the operator possible explanations for these unusual responses. Training time to use the equipment and program is approximately 5 min.