1266 Haemostasis Checklists-Are They an Effective Tool?

Abstract

Abstract Aim Haemostasis checklists have been developed to decrease re-bleeding rates following cardiac surgeries. These checklists aim to identify the most common sites of bleeding, as well as reasons for coagulopathies and prevent them by early identification during surgery. The aim of this study is to Evaluate the effectiveness of the haemostasis checklist as a tool for reducing the rate of Re-exploration for bleeding in Liverpool heart and chest Cardiothoracic Centre. Method Retrospective study carried over the period of 2019 and 2022 (pre and post checklist implementation). This study included all patients who underwent elective cardiac surgery, 614 cases in each year. Data was analysed and classified into 3 categories: Number of Re-exploration cases in each year, Bleeding sites identified and the Number of post-operative days at which re-bleeding was noted. Results Total number of Re-exploration cases for bleeding in 2019 were 39(6.35%), as compared to 14(2.28%) cases in 2022. 60% of the re-bleeding cases in 2019 were identified within first 24 hours post-operative, while 77% were identified in the first 24 hours in 2022. Most common sites of bleeding identified in 2019, were no clear site (38%) and sternal wires (19%). While in 2022, no clear site (46%) and sternal wires (23%) were most identified during re-exploration. Conclusions Significant reduction of 64% was witnessed between the year of 2019 and 2022 after implementation of the checklist, therefore, Haemostasis checklist proved to be an effective tool in reducing the rate of Re-exploration for bleeding in cardiac surgery.