Efficacy of cryoprecipitate transfusion for coagulopathy after cardiopulmonary bypass in thoracic aortic surgery

BACKGROUND: Excessive bleeding after cardiopulmonary bypass remains a major complication for cardiac surgery. The principal causes of hemostatic bleeding are related to inadequate surgical hemostasis or diluted coagulopathy. We investigated the efficacy of cryoprecipitate (Cryo) transfusion in thoracic aortic surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass. METHODS: We divided 30 patients undergoing thoracic aortic surgery into two groups retrospectively. Fifteen patients transfused with cryoprecipitate and fresh frozen plasma (FFP) were defined as Group Cryo, and the other 15 patients transfused with FFP only were defined as Group FFP We compared the amount of blood products administered and the blood loss during the perioperative period between the two groups with P <0.05 to be significant. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in the clinical background between the two groups. There were significant differences in the volume of blood loss (Group Cryo 544 +/- 233 ml, Group FFP 888 +/- 339 ml), requirements of FFP (Group Cryo 0.6 +/- 1.7 unit, Group FFP 4.3 +/- 6.0 unit) in ICU. CONCLUSIONS: Cryoprecipitate transfusion is an effective treatment for coagulopathy caused by dilution of coagulation factors after cardiopulmonary bypass.