Cardiac surgery in patients with heparin-induced thrombocytopenia using preoperatively determined dosages of iloprost.

Abstract

Although a number of alternative anticoagulation methods, such as the use of another anticoagulant (danaparoid sodium and recombinant hirudin) or the preoperative use of a defibrinogenating agent (ancorod), have been suggested for patients with type II HIT requiring anticoagulation during CPB, the use of heparin associated with a potent platelet inhibitor such as the prostacyclin analog iloprost is, as this study confirmed, the only to-date safe and effective choice.