Management of coagulopathy

Patients undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass are at increased risk for excessive perioperative blood loss and coagulopathy requiring transfusion. In a recent review of transfusion practices in cardiac surgical patients. it was noted that cardiac surgery patients utilize as much as 10–15% of the almost 15 million units of red blood cells transfused in surgical patients in the United States annually and more than half of cardiac surgical patients receive blood products during their hospitalization. Despite publication of blood conservation guidelines, blood product utilization continues to increase for all cardiac operations.