Objective: The purpose of our study is to describe the use of recombinant factor VIIa (rFVIIa) in patients on central veno-arterial ECMO with a particular attention on associated thrombotic complications.
Study design: Monocentric retrospective study.
Patients and methods: We examined 91 files of patients on ECMO between 2005 and 2010. During this period, eight patients presented refractory bleeding and benefited from rFVIIa treatment.
Results: In six of the eight patients, the bleeding stopped. A decrease of the bleeding was noticed after the treatment of rFVIIa (before rFVIIa: 40.1±33.1mL/kg per 3 hours after rFVIIa: 5.4±3.2mL/kg per 3 hours (P=0.01). The transfusional needs were decreased after administration of rFVIIa. No thrombotic event was detected. Fibrinogen, d-dimers, platelet count and lactate were not modified by the treatment. Two patients were weaned from ECMO. One patient died 17 days after the weaning. The other patient survived without neurological damages.
Conclusion: The rFVIIa is a treatment of exception for patients on central veno-arterial ECMO and could be a last-resort treatment in the presence of a not curable massive bleeding.
Keywords: ECLS; ECMO; Facteur VII activé recombinant; Hemorrhage; Hémorragie; Recombinant factor VIIa.
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