Blood loss in coronary artery bypass surgery: etiology, diagnosis and prevention

Abstract

Blood loss requiring transfusions, and, in some cases even surgical re-exploration, is relatively common after cardiac surgery. There are several factors associated with this blood

loss that can be separated into bleeding complications with a surgical origin (bleeding vessel,

anastomosis or other suture line) and those related to ineffective hemostasis. The aim of this thesis is to improve our understanding of the development of (excessive) blood loss due to ineffective hemostasis during and after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery, in order to support the process of decision making concerning medication and blood product substitution, and to explore several preventative measures to reduce the risk of bleeding. Both processes of bleeding and hypercoagulation appear to define the peri-operative period in CABG surgery.