During extracorporeal cardiopulmonary bypass (ECB), the activated coagulation and fibrinogenolysis system causes bleeding and postoperative multiple organ failures. We studied the effect of an anti-bleeding agent, nafamostat mesilate (NM) during the surgery of thoracic ascending aorta to decrease a side effect of bleeding. From March 1980 to January 1998, for thoracic ascending aorta operations in our department (true aneurysm, 16-, psudoaneurysm, 2-, and dissection, 11 cases, in 29 cases, respectively), age from 16 to 79 (mean 62.9 +/- 9.5 year of age), we classified the objects in two groups, NM group (intraoperative infusion with NM of 60 mg/hr and with heparin 300 IU/kg) and C group (only with heparin treated, 500 IU/kg). We investigated the preoperative factors (age and aneurysmal diameter), the intraoperative factors (ACT, hematcrit, platelet, aorta clamping time, operative time, ECB time, bleeding volume, and blood transfusion), and the postoperative factors (bleeding and blood transfusion) after the administration of NM.
Results: There was no significance for the protection effect of NM infusion on the preoperative and the postoperative factors. However, intraoperative bleeding and blood transfusion volume in NM group were significantly lesser than those in group C.
Conclusions: It might be useful for NM infusion during the surgery of thoracic ascending aorta due to the decrease of volume of intraoperative bleeding and blood transfusion amount with the remarkable anti-bleeding effect.