Monitoring of coagulation by intraoperative thromboelastometry of liver transplantation in a patient using warfarin - case report / Monitoração da coagulação pela tromboelastometria no intraoperatório de transplante hepático em um paciente usando varfarina - relato de caso

Abstract Introduction: Advanced hepatic disease may - in addition to the widely recognized hemorrhagic complications - occur with thrombotic events. We describe the case of a cirrhotic patient taking warfarin and whose coagulation management during liver transplantation was guided by thromboelastometry (ROTEM®). Case report: A 56 year-old male patient diagnosed with alcohol cirrhosis using warfarin (2.5 mg.day−1) for partial portal vein thrombosis with the International Normalized Ratio (INR) of 2.14. At the beginning of surgery, the ROTEM® parameters were all normal. In the anhepatic phase, EXTEM and INTEM remained normal, but FIBTEM showed reduction of amplitude after 10 min and maximum clot firmness. Finally, in the neohepatic phase, there was a slight alteration in the hypocoagulability of most of the parameters of the EXTEM, INTEM and FIBTEM, besides a notable correction of the Coagulation Time (CT) in HEPTEM compared to the CT of the INTEM. Therefore, the patient did not receive any transfusion of blood products during surgery and in the postoperative period, being discharged on the 8th postoperative day. Discussion: Coagulation deficit resulting from cirrhosis distorts INR as a parameter of anticoagulation adequacy and as a determinant of the need for blood transfusion. Thus, thromboelastometry can provide important information for patient management.

Resumo Introdução: A doença hepática avançada pode, além das complicações hemorrágicas amplamente reconhecidas, ocorrer com eventos trombóticos. Descrevemos o caso de um paciente cirrótico em uso de varfarina, cujo manejo da coagulação durante o transplante de fígado foi guiado por tromboelastometria (ROTEM®). Relato de caso: Paciente do sexo masculino, 56 anos, diagnosticado com cirrose alcoólica, recebendo varfarina (2,5 mg.dia−1) para trombose parcial da veia porta, com razão normalizada internacional (INR) de 2,14. No início da cirurgia, os parâmetros ROTEM® estavam todos normais. Na fase não hepática, EXTEM e INTEM permaneceram normais, mas FIBTEM mostrou redução da amplitude após 10 min e firmeza máxima do coágulo. Por fim, na fase neo-hepática houve uma ligeira alteração da hipocoagulabilidade na maioria dos parâmetros de EXTEM, INTEM e FIBTEM, além de uma correção notável do tempo de coagulação (CT) de HEPTEM em comparação com o CT de INTEM. Portanto, o paciente não recebeu transfusão de hemoderivados durante a cirurgia e no período pós-operatório, obteve alta no oitavo dia de pós-operatório. Discussão: O déficit de coagulação resultante da cirrose distorce o INR como um parâmetro da adequação da anticoagulação e como um determinante da necessidade de transfusão de sangue. Portanto, a tromboelastometria pode fornecer informações importantes para o manejo do paciente.

[Monitoring of coagulation by intraoperative thromboelastometry of liver transplantation in a patient using warfarin - case report]. / Monitoração da coagulação pela tromboelastometria no intraoperatório de transplante hepático em um paciente usando varfarina ­ relato de caso.

INTRODUCTION: Advanced hepatic disease may - in addition to the widely recognized hemorrhagic complications - occur with thrombotic events. We describe the case of a cirrhotic patient taking warfarin and whose coagulation management during liver transplantation was guided by thromboelastometry (ROTEM®). CASE REPORT: A 56 year-old male patient diagnosed with alcohol cirrhosis using warfarin (2.5mg.day-1) for partial portal vein thrombosis with the International Normalized Ratio (INR) of 2.14. At the beginning of surgery, the ROTEM® parameters were all normal. In the anhepatic phase, EXTEM and INTEM remained normal, but FIBTEM showed reduction of amplitude after 10min and maximum clot firmness. Finally, in the neohepatic phase, there was a slight alteration in the hypocoagulability of most of the parameters of the EXTEM, INTEM and FIBTEM, besides a notable correction of the Coagulation Time (CT) in HEPTEM compared to the CT of the INTEM. Therefore, the patient did not receive any transfusion of blood products during surgery and in the postoperative period, being discharged on the 8th postoperative day. DISCUSSION: Coagulation deficit resulting from cirrhosis distorts INR as a parameter of anticoagulation adequacy and as a determinant of the need for blood transfusion. Thus, thromboelastometry can provide important information for patient management.