No abstract

Cardiopulmonary bypass and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) cause hemostatic derangements that can predispose patients to both bleeding and thrombotic complications. Often, patients present for urgent surgery while taking medications including antiplatelet agents, vitamin K antagonists, and direct oral anticoagulants, which must be recognized, monitored, and managed. During extracorporeal circulation, appropriate anticoagulation, most commonly with heparin, is required to maintain blood flow and avoid thrombotic complications. However, anticoagulation and other effects of extracorporeal circuits can also have an undesired consequence of bleeding. Extracorporeal circulation leads to coagulopathy that may require therapy with blood products such as platelets, cryoprecipitate, and plasma in case a patient bleeds. Platelet dysfunction related to exposure to a foreign circuit is a primary concern, as is the development of acquired von Willebrand syndrome, which frequently remains undetected on routine testing. Hemorrhagic complications in ECMO, such as intracranial hemorrhage, pulmonary hemorrhage, and hemithorax, can occur. Hemostatic agents including antifibrinolytics, desmopressin, fibrinogen concentrates, and other factor concentrates may be needed to achieve hemostasis in these often-challenging patients. Managing bleeding on extracorporeal support requires careful monitoring and a thoughtful approach.

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a life-saving procedure that requires careful coagulation management. Indications for ECMO continue to expand, leading to more complicated patients treated by ECMO teams. At our pediatric institution, we utilize a Coagulation Team to guide anticoagulation, transfusion and hemostasis management in an effort to avoid the all-to-common complications of bleeding and thrombosis. This team formulates a coagulation plan in conjunction with a multidisciplinary ECMO team after careful review of all available laboratory data as well as the patient's clinical status. Here, we present our general strategies for ECMO management in various clinical scenarios and a review of the literature pertaining to coagulation management in the pediatric ECMO setting.

The goal of this review is to familiarize readers with current issues related to red blood cell transfusion and alternative strategies in the extremely low-birth-weight neonatal population. We discuss benefits associated with packed red blood cell transfusion and unique adverse outcomes in this fragile group. Alternative strategies for the prevention of anemia requiring transfusion are also reviewed.

ABO-ILT have re-emerged as an alternate option for select patients awaiting transplant. However, treatment protocols for children undergoing deceased donor ABO-ILT are not standardized. We implemented a novel IS protocol for children undergoing deceased donor ABO-ILT based on pretransplant IH titers. Children with high pretransplant IH titers (≥1:32) underwent an enhanced IS protocol including plasmapheresis, rituximab, IVIG, and mycophenolate, while children with IH titers ≤1:16 received steroids and tacrolimus. We retrospectively assessed our outcomes of ABO-ILT with ABO-compatible recipients of similar age and diagnosis over a 2-year period. Ten children with median age of 8.9 months underwent ABO-ILT, 4 of 10 patients underwent enhanced IS due to high IH titers. Rates of complications (rejection, infections, biliary, and vascular) at both 1 year and up to 3 years post-transplant were comparable between the groups. Patients with ABO-ILT had good graft function with 100% survival at a median follow-up of 3.3 years. In conclusion, IS tailored to pretransplant IH titers in pediatric deceased donor ABO-ILT is feasible and can achieve outcomes similar to ABO-CLT at 1 and 3 years post-transplantation.

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Ventricular-assist devices (VADs) have seen increased utilization in the pediatric population. Formerly, this therapeutic modality was limited to only the pulsatile VAD, EXCOR (Berlin Heart GmbH). However, the continuous flow VAD devices, HeartMate II (Abbott Inc.) and HeartWare (Medtronic Inc.), are now increasingly used in this population. Postoperatively, VAD patients are acutely anticoagulated using unfractionated heparin, often beginning 24 to 48 hours after VAD placement. Once the patient is stabilized and ready to transition to a lower acuity or outpatient setting, low-molecular-weight heparin or warfarin therapy may be instituted. Also, because of the risk for thrombotic and thromboembolic complications, antiplatelet strategies are employed using medications such as aspirin, clopidogrel, or dipyridamole. Platelet-rich plasma or whole blood platelet aggregation studies, platelet function analyzer-100 (Siemens), VerifyNow (Accriva Diagnostics), or thromboelastography platelet mapping (Haemonetics) may be used to help monitor antiplatelet effects, though the interpretation of the strength of the antiplatelet effect remains difficult. Care must be taken to monitor the hematologic complications of VAD, including acquired von Willebrand syndrome, which increases the risk for bleeding, and intravascular hemolysis, which increases the risk of thrombosis. Appropriate device placement and anticoagulation management are imperative to help avoid neurological dysfunction and ischemic stroke, the most devastating potential complications of VAD therapy. As our experience grows, we continue to gain an increased understanding of the management of anticoagulation, need for antiplatelet medication, and appropriate monitoring for these critical patients.

Strongly positive LA can prolong the CT on ROTEM studies and lead to erroneous conclusions regarding coagulation status in this patient population.