Heparin-bonded Circuits Improve Clinical Outcomes in Emergency Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting

Compared to patients undergoing elective or urgent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), those undergoing emergency CABG (EM‐CABG) have a higher morbidity and mortality. The use of heparin‐bonded circuits (HBC) has been shown to improve clinical outcomes in nonemergent CABG patients. It is not known, however, whether the improved hemostasis and attenuation of the inflammatory response to cardiopulmonary bypass, conferred by HBC, can overcome the high incidence of comorbid risk factors in (EM‐CABG) patients and improve their outcomes. A retrospective analysis of 206 consecutive patients undergoing EM‐CABG over 4 years (1993–1997) at one institution was performed. Eighty‐one patients were treated with conventional non‐heparin‐bonded circuits (NHBC) with full anticoagulation protocol (FAR, activated clotting time [ACT] > 480 sec); 125 patients were treated with HBC and a lower anticoagulation protocol (LAP, ACT > 280 seconds). Outcomes and results were collected prospectively and are presented as mean ± SD. Preoperative risk profiles were similar in both treatment groups. Postoperatively, compared with the NHBC group, patients treated with HBC/LAP required fewer homologous donor units (4.1 ± 10.7 vs 8.2 ± 13.6 units, p = 0.005), were less likely to require inotropic support (18.6% vs 38.3%, p = 0.005), and had a lower incidence of perioperative myocardial infarction (Ml, 3.2% vs 12.3%, p = 0.04) and pulmonary complications (4.0% vs 12.3%, p = 0.04). The use of HBC/LAP resulted in a decreased incidence of postoperative complications (12.8% vs 28.4%, p = 0.01, odds ratio 0.37 with 95% confidence interval [Cl] 0.18‐0.76). This resulted in a shorter duration of ventilatory support (30.5 ± 54.0 vs 72.8 ± 16.7 hours, p = 0.009), ICU stay (38.2 ± 36.5 vs 91.5 ± 68.7 hours, p = 0.009), hospital stay (8.0 ± 7.1 vs 11.0 ± 8.9 days, p = 0.008), and therefore cost. In conclusion, the use of HBC/LAP in EM‐CABG resulted in a reduction of homologous transfusion and postoperative complications associated with decreased hospital stays and cost.