Advances in the prevention and management of procedural bleeding in patients with cirrhosis.

Introduction: Patients with cirrhosis frequently require procedures and are at risk of bleeding related to interventions. Procedural bleeding adversely impacts patients with cirrhosis and is associated with mortality. Assessment of bleeding risk in these patients is complex due to changes in hemostasis, portal hypertension, elevated thrombosis risk, and comorbid infection and renal disease. This clinical review will discuss current data regarding risk assessment, prevention, and management of procedural bleeding in patients with cirrhosis.

Discussion: Risk of procedural bleeding in patients with cirrhosis involves patient-related and procedure-related factors. Conventional hemostasis parameters such as prothrombin time and platelet count are not predictive of bleeding in cirrhosis and may lead providers to overestimate bleeding risk. Hepatic decompensation, kidney injury, metabolic syndrome, alcohol use, and infections are all associated with increased bleeding risk. Procedure type, urgency, and operator experience also influence procedural bleeding risk. Historically pre-procedural transfusion support has been used in attempt to mitigate procedural bleeding risk. However, mounting data argues against this approach. Patient optimization, procedure conditions, and procedure technique can minimize bleeding risk. Viscoelastic testing may be useful to reduce the use of prophylactic transfusion and reassure proceduralists.

Conclusion: Historically, the risk of procedural bleeding has been overestimated in patients with cirrhosis due to abnormal conventional coagulation testing including prolonged prothrombin time and thrombocytopenia. Prophylactic transfusion has not been consistently demonstrated to reduce bleeding risk and carries some risks. Performing only necessary procedures under optimal conditions with safe technique and preparation for rescue transfusion can minimize procedural-associated bleeding and its consequences.