Platelets or Fibrinogen as First-line Treatment for Bleeding During Pedatric Heart Surgery

Platelets or Fibrinogen as First-line Treatment for Bleeding During Pedatric Heart Surgery: a Randomized, Controlled Trial.

The study aims to test whether platelet transfusion or fibrinogen concentrate is the most effective treatment of intraoperative bleeding, when performing open heart surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass on children with congenital heart defects.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Children < 1 years of age, scheduled for open surgery of congenital heart defects, using cardiopulmonary bypass.
• Body weight < 10 kg.
• Expected CPB time > 90 minutes.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Known coagulation disorder, current treatment with antiplatelet and/or anticoagulant drugs, major surgery the past month before the planned surgery, preoperative kidney or liver failure (defined as creatinine and/or transaminases > normal interval for the patient´s age), gestational age < 34 weeks.