Open Access Research Article
Khalil et al., J Anesthe Clinic Res 2013, 4:5
DOI: 10.4172/2155-6148.1000319
Volume 4 • Issue 5 • 1000319
J Anesth Clin Res
ISSN:2155-6148 JACR an open access journal
Keywords: Recombinant factor VII; Liver transplant; Coagulopathy;
Blood transfusion
Introduction
Recipients undergoing liver transplantation require varying
amounts of blood products due to the haemostatic changes relating
to severity of the end stage hepatic dysfunction, portal hypertension
and collateral circulation [1]. Te procedure still carries a risk of
excessive blood loss that is associated with a higher risk of morbidity
and mortality [2-4].
Activated recombinant factor VII (rFVIIa) was initially introduced
to treat hemophilic patients, but during the last years, it had been
proposed for a large number of of-label treatments [5]. Prophylactic
intraoperative correction of coagulopathy in patients with end stage liver
disease undergoing liver transplantation with rFVIIa was investigated
previously by several studies but frequently at higher doses and with
diferent outcomes [6-8]. Te impact of a prophylactic intravenous
administration of rFVIIa at a low dose (40 µ/Kg), prior to the surgical
incision and during adult living donor liver transplantation will be
the focus of this current study. Tis involves studying the efect on
coagulation parameters and blood products transfusion requirements
(BT), together with reporting any adverse events observed during the
study period with particular focus on vascular thrombosis.
Patients and Methods
Afer ethical committee approval (MD 15 -2008, Chair of committee
Prof Magdy Kamal) at the Liver Institute, Menoufya University, Egypt
and written informed consent, 50 adult patients scheduled for living
donor liver transplantation were included in the study. Te study
included 50 patients divided into 2 equal groups of recipients for living
donor liver transplantation operated upon by the same surgical team.
Exclusion criteria; age <18 years, renal impairment, hypertension,
history of genetic coagulation disorder and massive surgical bleeding
due to accidental vascular injury Patients were divided into two
equal groups : control group (C Group) (25 patients) as a placebo and
treatment group (R Group) (25 patients) which received an intravenous
infusion of rFVIIa (rFVIIa, Novoseven, NovoNordisk A/S, Bagsvaerd,
Denmark) 20 µ/kg, 30 min prior to the induction of anesthesia
followed one hour latter by another dose to cover the dissection phase.
Anesthesia was induced with Propofol 2 mg kg
-1
, Rocuronium 0.9 mg
kg
-1
was given to facilitate rapid sequence orotracheal intubation with
a cufed tube. Anesthesia was maintained with Desfurane in oxygen
and air mixture (FiO
2
=0.4)), Rocuronium and Fentanyl to keeping the
Spectral Entropy (GE Healthcare, Helsinki, Finland) value between 40
and 60.
Head and extremity wraps, and warmer systems in the form
*Corresponding author: Dr. N Fayed, Anesthesia Department, Menoufya
University, Egypt, Fax: +204822217 29; E-mail: drnirmeena@yahoo.com
Received April 05, 2013; Accepted May 28, 2013; Published May 30, 2013
Citation: Khalil M, Fayed N, Abdullah M, Refaat E, Suliman H, et al. (2013)
Preoperative Low Dose Recombinant Activated Factor VII Effect during Liver
Transplantation. J Anesthe Clinic Res 4: 319. doi:10.4172/2155-6148.1000319
Copyright: © 2013 Khalil M, et al. This is an open-access article distributed under
the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted
use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and
source are credited.
Preoperative Low Dose Recombinant Activated Factor VII Effect during
Liver Transplantation
Khalil M
1
, Fayed N
1
*, Abdullah M
1
, Refaat E
1
, Suliman H
2
, Yassen K
1
, Ibrahim T
2
, Tanaka K
3
, and Abdallah A
4
1
Anaesthesia Department, Menoufya University, Egypt
2
Surgery Department, Menoufya University, Egypt
3
Surgery Department, Koyoto University, Japan
4
Community Medicine Department, Liver Institute, Menoufya University, Egypt
Abstract
Background: End stage liver disease patients are prone to coagulopathy and frequently require blood
transfusion during transplantation.
Methods: Prospective study (2008-2011) to investigate the effect of prophylactic intravenous administration
of low dose recombinant activated factor VII (rFVIIa) (20 µ/kg) 30 min prior to surgery and repeated one hour
later on Standard Coagulation Tests (SCTs), Rotational Thromboelastomery (ROTEM) and Blood Transfusion (BT)
requirements during Living Donor Liver Transplantation (LDLT). SCT include Prothrombin Time (PT), International
Normalized Ratio (INR) of prothrombin time, Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time (aPPT), fbrinogen and platelets
blood levels. ROTEM include EXTEM and INTEM representing coagulation extrinsic and intrinsic pathways
respectively, and FIBTEM for fbrinogen activity. Blood transfusion was guided by ROTEM parameters. Control
group(C), n=25 and rFVII group, n=25,
Results: Both groups preoperative MELD scores, ROTEM and SCTs were comparable (P>0.05). After initial
dose to end of dissection, a reduction in INR and aPTTin rFVII group versus control were observed, associated
with a reduction in clotting time (CT) and increased alpha angle in ROTEM (P<0.05) with no hypercoagulability or
thromboembolic fndings. Mean BT reduced signifcantly in rFVII group (p<0.05). 4% of controls received no BT
versus 36% in rFVII group (P<0.05). Duration of dissection, hemoglobin (HB) at induction were comparable (p>0.05).
BT correlated positively with dissection time (r=0.7, p<0.01), but weakly with preoperative HB (r=-0.3, p<0.05).
Conclusion: Low dose rFVII monitored by ROTEM improved coagulation and reduced BT requirements with no
evidence of thromboembolic events. Dissection time was another important contributing factor.
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ISSN: 2155-6148
Journal of Anesthesia & Clinical
Research