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can the transfusion of platelets imediatly after open ...
Sent to Health Experts July 23 06:09 PM

can the transfusion of platelets immediatly after open heart surgery cause liver or other damage to a patient?

 

Customer (name blocked for privacy)
Status:  Closed   Value: $15
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July 24 7:05 PM (1 day later)
         
Relist: No answer yet.
I will be happy to pay for the answer but this is my first question and I dont trust you yet.
Customer (name blocked for privacy)
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July 24 7:30 PM (25 minutes and 2 seconds later)
         
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Although this is controversial, an article in the New England Journal of Medicine in October, 2002, states that the use of platelet transfusion should be avoided on these patients.
There is normally a cascade of events following any surgery, including ischemia (low blood flow) due to increased coagulation, and the addition of the platelets may increase that level of coagulation and ischemia leading to multi system organ failure.
So the easy answer to your question is yes, it could.
The harder question is did it? Or were the platelets actually needed to maintain hemostasis (blood clotting) vs could the bleeding have been stopped by reexploring the surgical wound?


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Judy -- Nurse -- 100% Positive Feedback on 870 Health Accepts
RN in ICU for 35 years
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July 25 7:00 PM (23 hours and 30 minutes and 4 seconds later)
         
Reply to Judy's Post: this did happen total organ failure, the Dr. can,t and wont explain why. how do I find out if this is the case. can you advise to sources?
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July 25 7:29 PM (28 minutes and 52 seconds later)
         
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The articles I read all pointed to the New England Journal of Medicine, which is a world renowned and respected magazine, but I don't have the full article. I do remember that it was October of 2002 and the article was actually titled something like Aspirin therapy. But the things I read about the article were referencing the use of the platelets as if they were discussed in the same article. I am so sorry for this unexpected outcome, you must be so angry and frustrated! Let me see if I can find out more info and I will get it to you.

Might take me a bit of time. I am trying to track down more info concerning the info in the link below, note the comments near the botton of the paragraph numbered 4; he is talking about the article I mentioned earlier. Oct. 2002, NEJM

http://www.cbbsweb.org/enf/2002/plts_cvsurgery.html



Edited by judi1 on July 25 2006 at 8:04 PM

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