This pilot study, conducted in 40 patients undergoing cardiac surgery, shows the usefulness of perioperative point-of-care monitoring to predict postoperative bleeding. The authors analyzed thrombelastography TEGĀ® Platelet Mapping pre- and post-cardiopulmonary bypass. The collagen activated platelet aggregation, in particular, predicted postoperative bleeding when measured in both the pre- and the post-CPB settings. Arachidonic acid and ADP activated pathways showed significant decreases after CPB. Aspirin intake did not correlate with high bleeding risk; however, the study was not powered to answer this specific question.
– Sibylle A. Kozek-Langenecker