Physicians' perceptions regarding acute bleeding management: an international mixed qualitative quantitative study.

BACKGROUND: Acute bleeding is an omnipresent challenge for all physicians. Uncontrolled hemorrhage is the most common preventable cause of death after trauma worldwide. In different surgical disciplines, hemorrhage represents an independent risk factor for increased postoperative morbimortality, directly affecting patients' outcomes. This study asked anesthesiologists about their personal perceived challenges when treating bleeding patients. METHODS: This investigator-initiated, prospective, international, dual-center, mixed qualitative and quantitative study interrogated anesthesiologists about what they found easy and what difficult in treating acutely bleeding patients. Following the template approach for qualitative research, we identified major and minor topics through free inductive coding and word count. In a second step, we derived ten statements from the participants' answers. Using a field survey, we then asked the participants to rate their level of agreement with the derived statements. We analyzed the answers using one sample Wilcoxon test and the Mann-Whitney test. RESULTS: We included a total of 84 physicians in the qualitative interrogations and a different group of 42 anesthesiologists in the quantitative part. We identified 11 major topics and 19 associated subtopics. The main topics and the degree of agreement (here as agree or strongly agree) were as follows: "Complexity of the topic" (52.4% agreed to find the topic complex), "Cognitive aids" (92.9% agreed to find them helpful), "Time management" (64.3% agreed to feeling time pressure), "Human factors" (95.2% agreed that human factors are essential), "Resources" (95.2% agreed that resources are essential), "Experience" and "Low frequency of cases" (57.1% agreed to lack practice), "Diagnostic methods" (31.0% agreed that the interpretation of test results is difficult), "Anticoagulation" (85.7% agreed to it being difficult), "Treatment" (81.0% agreed to knowing the first therapeutic steps), and "Nothing". CONCLUSIONS: Anesthesiologists in two large tertiary care facilities in different parts of the world found coagulation management, especially in anticoagulated patients, complex. We identified the delayed diagnostic test results and their interpretation as challenges. Resources, treatment protocols and human factors such as team communication were perceived to facilitate management. Future studies should explore the challenges in smaller hospitals and other parts of the world and test new technologies addressing the identified difficulties.

Over 50 Years of Fibrinogen Concentrate.

March 2013 represented the 50th anniversary of the first license granted for a fibrinogen concentrate. In this review, we look at the history of bleeding management that led to the development of fibrinogen concentrate, discuss its current use, and consider future developments for this product.

[A randomized, double blind trial of prophylactic fibrinogen to reduce bleeding in cardiac surgery]. / Estudo randômico e duplo-cego de profilaxia com fibrinogênio para reduzir o sangramento em cirurgia cardíaca.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Postoperative bleeding has a great clinical importance and can contribute to increased mortality and morbidity in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery. In this prospective, randomized, double-blind study, we evaluated the effect of prophylactic administration of fibrinogen concentrate on post-coronary artery bypass graft surgery bleeding. METHODS: A total of 60 patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery were randomly divided into two groups. Patients in the fibrinogen group received 1g of fibrinogen concentrate 30min prior to the operation, while patients in the control group received placebo. Post-operative bleeding volumes, prothrombin time, partial thromboplastin time, INR, hemoglobin and transfused blood products in both groups were recorded. A strict red blood cell transfusion protocol was used in all patients. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between intra-operative packed red blood cells infusion in the studied groups (1.0±1.4 in fibrinogen group, and 1.3±1.1 in control group). Less postoperative bleeding was observed in the fibrinogen group (477±143 versus 703±179, p=0.0001). Fifteen patients in the fibrinogen group and 21 in the control group required post-op packed red blood cells infusion (p=0.094). No thrombotic event was observed through 72h after surgery. CONCLUSION: Prophylactic fibrinogen reduces post-operative bleeding in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft.

A randomized, double blind trial of prophylactic fibrinogen to reduce bleeding in cardiac surgery.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Postoperative bleeding has a great clinical importance and can contribute to increased mortality and morbidity in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery. In this prospective, randomized, double-blind study, we evaluated the effect of prophylactic administration of fibrinogen concentrate on post-coronary artery bypass graft surgery bleeding. METHODS: A total of 60 patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery were randomly divided into two groups. Patients in the fibrinogen group received 1g of fibrinogen concentrate 30 min prior to the operation, while patients in the control group received placebo. Post-operative bleeding volumes, prothrombin time, partial thromboplastin time, INR, hemoglobin and transfused blood products in both groups were recorded. A strict red blood cell transfusion protocol was used in all patients. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between intra-operative packed red blood cells infusion in the studied groups (1.0±1.4 in fibrinogen group, and 1.3±1.1 in control group). Less postoperative bleeding was observed in the fibrinogen group (477±143 versus 703±179, p=0.0001). Fifteen patients in the fibrinogen group and 21 in the control group required post-op packed red blood cells infusion (p=0.094). No thrombotic event was observed through 72 h after surgery. CONCLUSION: Prophylactic fibrinogen reduces post-operative bleeding in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft.

A randomized, double blind trial of prophylactic fibrinogen to reduce bleeding in cardiac surgery / Estudo randômico e duplo-cego de profilaxia com fibrinogênio para reduzir o sangramento em cirurgia cardíaca / Estudio aleatorizado y doble ciego de profilaxis con fibrinógeno para reducir el sangrado en cirugía cardíaca

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Postoperative bleeding has a great clinical importance and can contribute to increased mortality and morbidity in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery. In this prospective, randomized, double-blind study, we evaluated the effect of prophylactic administration of fibrinogen concentrate on post-coronary artery bypass graft surgery bleeding. METHODS: A total of 60 patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery were randomly divided into two groups. Patients in the fibrinogen group received 1 g of fibrinogen concentrate 30 min prior to the operation, while patients in the control group received placebo. Post-operative bleeding volumes, prothrombin time, partial thromboplastin time, INR, hemoglobin and transfused blood products in both groups were recorded. A strict red blood cell transfusion protocol was used in all patients. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between intra-operative packed red blood cells infusion in the studied groups (1.0 ± 1.4 in fibrinogen group, and 1.3 ± 1.1 in control group). Less postoperative bleeding was observed in the fibrinogen group (477 ± 143 versus 703 ± 179, p = 0.0001). Fifteen patients in the fibrinogen group and 21 in the control group required post-op packed red blood cells infusion (p = 0.094). No thrombotic event was observed through 72 h after surgery. CONCLUSION: Prophylactic fibrinogen reduces post-operative bleeding in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft. .

JUSTIFICATIVA E OBJETIVO: a hemorragia no período pós-operatório é de grande importância clínica e pode contribuir para o aumento da morbidade e mortalidade em pacientes submetidos à cirurgia de revascularização coronária. Nesse estudo prospectivo, randômico e duplo-cego, avaliamos o efeito da administração profilática de concentrado de fibrinogênio sobre o sangramento após cirurgia de revascularização coronária. MÉTODOS: no total, 60 pacientes submetidos à cirurgia de revascularização coronária foram randomicamente divididos em dois grupos. Os pacientes do grupo fibrinogênio receberam 1 g de concentrado de fibrinogênio 30 minutos antes da operação, enquanto os doentes do grupo controle receberam placebo. Os volumes de sangramento no pós-operatório, tempo de protrombina, tempo de tromboplastina parcial, INR, hemoglobina e hemoderivados transfundidos em ambos os grupos foram registrados. Um protocolo de conduta rigoroso para transfusão de hemácias foi usado em todos os pacientes. RESULTADOS: não houve diferenças significantes entre as infusões de concentrados de hemácias nos grupos estudados (1,0 ± 1,4 no grupo fibrinogênio e 1,3 ± 1,1 no grupo controle). O grupo fibrinogênio apresentou menos sangramento no pós-operatório (477 ± 143 versus 703 ± 179, p = 0,0001). Quinze pacientes do grupo fibrinogênio e 21 do grupo controle precisaram de infusão de concentrado de hemácias no pós-operatório (p = 0,094). Evento trombótico não foi observado durante 72 h após a cirurgia. CONCLUSÃO: profilaxia com fibrinogênio reduz o sangramento no período pós-operatório de pacientes submetidos à revascularização coronária. .

JUSTIFICACIÓN Y OBJETIVOS: la hemorragia en el período postoperatorio es de gran importancia clínica y puede contribuir al aumento de la morbimortalidad en pacientes sometidos a cirugía de revascularización del miocardio. En este estudio prospectivo, aleatorizado y doble ciego, evaluamos el efecto de la administración profiláctica del concentrado de fibrinógeno sobre el sangrado después de la cirugía de revascularización del miocardio. MÉTODOS: en total, 60 pacientes sometidos a cirugía de revascularización del miocardio fueron aleatoriamente divididos en 2 grupos. Los pacientes del grupo fibrinógeno recibieron 1 g de concentrado de fibrinógeno 30 min antes de la operación, mientras que los del grupo control recibieron placebo. Los volúmenes de sangrado en el postoperatorio, tiempo de protrombina, tiempo de tromboplastina parcial, INR, hemoglobina y hemoderivados transfundidos en ambos grupos fueron registrados. En todo los pacientes se usó un protocolo de conducta riguroso para la transfusión de hematíes. RESULTADOS: no hubo diferencias significativas entre las infusiones de concentrados de hematíes en los grupos estudiados (1 ± 1,4 en el grupo fibrinógeno y 1,3 ± 1,1 en el grupo control). El grupo fibrinógeno presentó menos sangrado en el postoperatorio (477 ± 143 versus 703 ± 179, p = 0,0001). Quince pacientes del grupo fibrinógeno y 21 del grupo control necesitaron infusión de concentrado de hematíes en el postoperatorio (p = 0,094). Ningún evento trombótico fue observado durante 72 h después de la cirugía. CONCLUSIÓN: la profilaxis con fibrinógeno reduce el sangrado en el período postoperatorio de pacientes sometidos a revascularización del miocardio. .