Local Hemostasis with Fibrin Glue after Intracardiac Repair of Tetralogy of Fallot and Transposition of the Great Arteries

Summary

In the last year fibrin glue Tissucol® was used for local hemostasis in 21 patients subjected to correction of tetralogy of Fallot (ToF) and in 10 patients subjected to Senning procedure in transposition of the great arteries (TGA). The postoperative blood loss was compared with the blood loss of 20 ToF-patients and 10 TGA-patients who had undergone correction one year ago without fibrin glue. Between the 2 groups were no differences in age, sex, bodyweight (BW), coagulation state or operative management.

Two hours postoperatively the blood loss with fibrin glue was 2.2 ml/hr/kg BW in ToF-patients and 2.4 ml/hr/kg BW in TGA-patients, whereas without fibrin glue it was 4.2ml/hr/kg BW in ToF (p<0.01) and 4.5 ml/hr/kg BW in TGA (p<0.01). The same significant difference (p<0.01) was found 6 hours postoperatively with 1.4 versus 2.2 ml/hr/kg BW in ToF and 1.9 versus 2.5 ml/hr/kg BW in TGA. Over the following 18 hours the secretion from the chest tubes was identical in both groups.

Six patients with ToF and one patient with TGA required reoperation for bleeding. The blood loss per kg BW per hour at reoperation was 6.9 ml with and 8.2 ml without fibrin glue (N.S.). The blood loss of patients who did not require reoperation at the same time was 4.6 times lower with fibrin glue and only 3.7 times lower without fibrin glue.

Fibrin glue reduces blood loss after intracardiac repair of ToF and TGA by local hemostasis at patches and suture lines. The application of fibrin glue can facilitate differentiation of surgical bleedings and the indication for reoperations.

Key words

Local hemostasis - Fibrin glue - Tetralogy of Fallot - Transposition of great arteries - Reduced postoperative blood loss