Detrimental Effect of Aprotinin Ban on Amount of Blood Loss During Liver Transplantation: Single-Center Experience

• Published in: Transplantation proceedings Vol. 43; no. 5; pp. 1725 - 1727
• Main Authors: Trzebicki, J, Kosieradzki, M, Flakiewicz, E, Kuzminska, G, Wasiak, D, Pacholczyk, M, Lagiewska, B, Lisik, W, Kosson, D, Kulik, A, Chmura, A, Lazowski, T
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier Inc 01.06.2011; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adult; Aprotinin - administration & dosage; Biological and medical sciences; Blood Loss, Surgical; Erythrocyte Transfusion; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Fundamental immunology; Humans; Liver Transplantation; Liver, biliary tract, pancreas, portal circulation, spleen; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Retrospective Studies; Surgery; Surgery (general aspects). Transplantations, organ and tissue grafts. Graft diseases; Surgery of the digestive system; Tissue, organ and graft immunology; Center; Digestive system; Enzyme; Liver; Enzyme inhibitor; Hematopoietic cell; Homograft; Homotransplantation; Medicine; Peptidases; Experience; Treatment; Surgery; Blood loss; Hydrolases; Graft; Aprotinin; Antifibrinolytic; Liver transplantation
• ISSN: 0041-1345; 1873-2623
• DOI: 10.1016/j.transproceed.2011.01.182

Abstract Background Aprotinin, a plasmin inhibitor, had been used for reduction of intraoperative bleeding caused by hyperfibrinolysis during extensive surgery. Prophylaxis with aprotinin to limit blood loss during orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) had been widely applied until the drug was weaned off the therapeutic list for severe complications. We compared the need for blood and blood products transfusion in patients undergoing OLT with and without the use of aprotinin. Materials and Methods A retrospective analysis was performed on 150 patients, who underwent OLT between March 2004 and August 2008 and were divided into 2 groups: the APRO group (n = 111) after induction of anesthesia was given a bolus of 500 kIU of aprotinin in a 30-minutes infusion followed by 140 kIU/h till the end of the OLT in which aprotinin was not administered, and the NON-APRO group (n = 39). Results Patients from the NON-APRO group needed significantly more units of packed red blood cells (PRBC) than the APRO group (5.53 ± 4.89 vs 3.99 ± 3.58 units; P = .037). Avoidance of aprotinin administration (β = 1.408), Child-Pugh score (β = 0.519), and duration of anhepatic phase (β = 0.03) affected the volume of transfused blood according to multiple regression analysis ( P < .05). Conclusions Our study confirmed the important prophylactic role aprotinin used to have during OLT in limiting the need for blood transfusions. Further research and progress in methods of blood loss minimization and monitoring of hemostasis are needed to warrant safe liver transplantation.