The Annals of thoracic surgery
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Considerable mediastinal bleeding is a recognized complication after cardiac surgery and may require reexploration and blood product transfusion, both of which are associated with inferior clinical outcomes with greater morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to develop a hemostasis checklist, with the intention of reducing mediastinal bleeding after cardiac surgery. ⋯ Implementation of a simple and quickly performed hemostasis checklist has had a sustained impact over the 2 years after implementation, reducing the incidence of noteworthy mediastinal bleeding and reexploration, which has resulted in a major reduction in blood product consumption. Together, these have resulted in an associated reduction in intensive care unit and hospital length of stay, and a considerable financial savings. This highlights that perioperative bleeding is a preventable complication.