• Lynn Uhrig, Stéphane Blanot, Thomas Baugnon, Gilles Orliaguet, Pierre A Carli, and Philippe G Meyer.
• Pediatric Anesthesiology and Neuro Critical Care Unit, Faculté de Médecine René Descartes, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Necker- Enfants Malades, Paris, France.
• Pediatr Crit Care Me. 2007 Nov 1;8(6):576-9.

ObjectiveTo report the use of recombinant activated factor VII (NovoSeven; Novo Nordisk A/S, Bagsvaerd, Denmark) in children undergoing major neurosurgical procedures and experiencing massive uncontrolled hemorrhagic shock.DesignRetrospective review of patients and analysis of clinical and biological effects of an intravenous administration of recombinant activated factor VII.SettingNeurosurgical anesthesia and critical care unit of a pediatric university hospital.Patients/SubjectsFour children, <12-kg body weight, experiencing life-threatening perioperative hemorrhage required conventional treatment (massive red blood cells, fresh frozen plasma, platelet transfusion, and surgical hemostatic maneuvers) that failed to obtain definite hemostasis.InterventionsIntravenous administration of recombinant activated factor VII (100 microg/kg).ResultsIntravenous administration resulted in a significant decrease in blood loss within minutes (preventing further need of transfusion), normalization of biological hemostasis markers, and improved surgical hemostasis. No side effects of recombinant activated factor VII were noted, and all patients, except one, had a good recovery.ConclusionsThese four patients support the use of recombinant activated factor VII as a useful adjunct to control massive life-threatening bleeding during pediatric neurosurgical procedures when other means failed. However, the data are still limited in children, and more extensive research is needed to define the indications of recombinant activated factor VII in massive surgical hemorrhage in low-weight children.

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