Heparin Administration And Precision Protamine Reversal In Coronary Bypass Surgery

 

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A two-tiered testing procedure was developed which uses the activated clotting time (ACT) dose-response curve for the initialization and maintenance of heparinization while using the whole blood activated recalcification time (wBART) for a more precise control of protamine neutralization. The wBART, the most sensitive test for heparin induced hypocoagulability, parallels the ACT and is prolonged by protamine excess, allowing a rapid and accurate titration procedure. This twotiered test protocol results in decreased protamine usage and less blood loss compared to published data in a comparable patient population.

The protocol was applied to a study with 55 by-pass patients to compare two commercial beef lung heparins with respect to anticoagulant effectiveness, intraoperative ACT levels, total heparin usage, post-operative blood loss and protamine requirements. Platelet counts were also monitored before and following surgery. No statistically significant differences were observed between the two heparin products in any of these parameters. Details of the two-tiered protocol and the beef lung heparin study will be presented.