A technique of, and the results obtained with, the intraoperative and postoperative intrapericardial instillation of microfibrillar collagen and fresh frozen plasma and platelet mixture are presented. Intraoperatively, the mixture was instilled into the exposed mediastinum in the course of open-heart operations in 31 patients in whom diffuse oozing of blood persisted following the termination of cardiopulmonary bypass and the neutralization of circulating heparin. Immediate clot formation and decrease of blood foss were observed in all instances. This method was also found effective in 9 of 20 patients who had continuing blood loss during the hours following open-heart surgery and in whom the mixture was instilled through the mediastinal drainage tubes.
Open-heart surgery - Postoperative hemorrhage - Intrapericardial instillation - Platelets - Fresh frozen plasma - Collagen
