• K Chong Sung, P Kum Suk, Y Mi Ja, and K Kyoung Ok.
• Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
• Acta Anaesthesiol Scand. 2006 Jan 1;50(1):108-11.

BackgroundHydroxyethyl starch (HES) used for intravascular volume expansion may cause coagulation abnormalities, especially in cardiac patients. Although low molecular weight HES (130/0.4) has been developed to minimize its influence on coagulation, experience with HES (130/0.4) in children is limited. Therefore, we evaluated the effects of a HES (130/0.4) infusion on post-operative blood loss in children undergoing cardiac surgery.MethodsForty-two children undergoing cardiac surgery were assigned at random to receive either 10 ml/kg fresh frozen plasma (FFP group; n=21) or HES (130/0.4) (HES group; n=21) shortly after cardiopulmonary bypass termination. Activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) and international normalization ratio (INR) were measured. In addition, post-operative transfusion requirements and blood loss until the end of the first post-operative day were compared.ResultsINR was significantly prolonged after HES infusion in comparison to the FFP group (P<0.05). During the first 24 h after surgery, post-operative blood loss, the use of allogenic blood/blood products and aPTT were similar in all children.ConclusionsOur study shows that the administration of a moderate dose of HES (130/0.4) in children undergoing cardiac surgery does not cause more bleeding or a higher transfusion requirement than a FFP infusion, and suggests that the administration of 10 ml/kg HES (130/0.4) is a safe alternative to plasma for intravascular volume replacement in this patient population.

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