The Effect of Low Doses of Epsilon-Aminocaproic Acid on Blood Loss Following Cardiac Surgery under Cardiopulmonary Bypass

Abstract

Objective: to study the effectiveness of the application of low doses of epsilon-aminocaproic acid (EACA) (8-12 g) during cardiac operations under cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) with the assessment of the effect on blood loss, number of transfusions, complications, and thromboelastometry parameters. Material and methods. The prospective, randomized study included 113 patients undergoing routine cardiac surgery under cardiopulmonary bypass. Two groups were formed: group 1 (n = 51) - an EACA bolus of 75 mg/kg was administered intravenously with titration of 30 mg/kg/h during CPB; group 2 (n = 62) was the control group. Conclusion. The introduction of low doses of EACA (10.2 (8.9; 11.4) g) reduces the thoracic-drainage volume by 30 %, reduces the frequency of donor blood transfusions by 38 % within 36-48 hours after the surgery without increasing the number of complications.