Hemostatic Benefits of an Absorbable Polysaccharide Powder in Redo Cardiac Surgery: A Comparative Study.

Background: Redo cardiac surgery outcomes, including increased transfusions and risk of reoperation, worsen with post-operative bleeding. This study aimed to directly compare the use of an absorbable polysaccharide powder to no hemostatic agent use during planned non-emergent redo cardiac surgery.

Methods: Fifty-one participants in two cohorts underwent planned non-emergent redo cardiac surgery. The retrospective cohort (n = 26) was chosen from redo cardiac surgeries completed between 2019 and 2020, while the prospective cohort (n = 25) included sequential redo cardiac surgeries with the use of an absorbable polysaccharide powder. Patient operative characteristics, along with first 24-hour transfusion use (packed red blood cells (pRBC), fresh frozen plasma (FFP) and platelets (Plts), chest tube outputs (CTO) at 12, 24 and 48 hours, and reoperation rates were compared.

Results: There was a higher non-statistical average of intraoperative pRBC and FFP rates in the retrospective cohort, compared to cases where absorbable polysaccharide powder was used (2 ± 2.9 vs 1.1 ± 1.4 units pRBC, p = 0.414; and 1.4 ± 1.8 vs 0.6 ± 1 units FFP, p = 0.070) while there were statistical differences in Plts use in the retrospective cohort compared to when absorbable polysaccharide powder was used (1 ± 1.3 vs 0.4 ± 0.7 units plts, p = 0.028). Statistically significant lower amounts of CTO in the first 12 hours and the 12-24-hour intervals were found when absorbable polysaccharide powder was used (817 ± 520 vs 558 ± 352 milliliters, p = 0.028; and 1144 ± 704 vs 830 ± 474 milliliters, p = 0.044, respectively). There were three reoperations in the retrospective cohort due to suspected bleeding, compared to no reoperations in the absorbable polysaccharide powder cohort.

Conclusion: This study highlights fewer transfusions, lower CTO, and decreased need for reoperation when using absorbable polysaccharide powder in redo cardiac surgeries. Further randomized trials are needed to more accurately define benefits of absorbable polysaccharide powder in redo cardiac surgeries. Word count: 302.