Anne Wikkelsø

Management of severe perioperative bleeding Guidelines from the European Society of Anaesthesiology

The aims of severe perioperative bleeding management are three-fold. First, preoperative identification by anamesis and laboratory testing of those patients for whom the perioperative bleeding risk may be increased. Second, implementation of strategies for correcting preoperative anaemia and stabilisation of the macro- and microcirculations in order to optimise the patients tolerance to bleeding. Third, targeted procoagulant interventions to reduce the amount of bleeding, morbidity, mortality and costs. The purpose of these guidelines is to provide an overview of current knowledge on the subject with an assessment of the quality of the evidence in order to allow anaesthetists throughout Europe to integrate this knowledge into daily patient care wherever possible. The Guidelines Committee of the European Society of Anaesthesiology (ESA) formed a task force with members of scientific subcommittees and individual expert members of the ESA. Electronic databases were searched without language restrictions from the year 2000 until 2012. These searches produced 20 664 abstracts. Relevant systematic reviews with meta-analyses, randomised controlled trials, cohort studies, case-control studies and cross-sectional surveys were selected. At the suggestion of the ESA Guideline Committee, the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) grading system was initially used to assess the level of evidence and to grade recommendations. During the process of guideline development, the official position of the ESA changed to favour the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) system. This report includes general recommendations as well as specific recommendations in various fields of surgical interventions. The final draft guideline was posted on the ESA website for four weeks and the link was sent to all ESA members. Comments were collated and the guidelines amended as appropriate. When the final draft was complete, the Guidelines Committee and ESA Board ratified the guidelines.

Management of severe perioperative bleeding: guidelines from the European Society of Anaesthesiology: First update 2016.

: The management of perioperative bleeding involves multiple assessments and strategies to ensure appropriate patient care. Initially, it is important to identify those patients with an increased risk of perioperative bleeding. Next, strategies should be employed to correct preoperative anaemia and to stabilise macrocirculation and microcirculation to optimise the patients tolerance to bleeding. Finally, targeted interventions should be used to reduce intraoperative and postoperative bleeding, and so prevent subsequent morbidity and mortality. The objective of these updated guidelines is to provide healthcare professionals with an overview of the most recent evidence to help ensure improved clinical management of patients. For this update, electronic databases were searched without language restrictions from 2011 or 2012 (depending on the search) until 2015. These searches produced 18 334 articles. All articles were assessed and the existing 2013 guidelines were revised to take account of new evidence. This update includes revisions to existing recommendations with respect to the wording, or changes in the grade of recommendation, and also the addition of new recommendations. The final draft guideline was posted on the European Society of Anaesthesiology website for four weeks for review. All comments were collated and the guidelines were amended as appropriate. This publication reflects the output of this work.

Fibrinogen concentrate for bleeding – a systematic review

Fibrinogen concentrate as part of treatment protocols increasingly draws attention. Fibrinogen substitution in cases of hypofibrinogenaemia has the potential to reduce bleeding, transfusion requirement and subsequently reduce morbidity and mortality. A systematic search for randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and non‐randomised studies investigating fibrinogen concentrate in bleeding patients was conducted up to November 2013. We included 30 studies of 3480 identified (7 RCTs and 23 non‐randomised). Seven RCTs included a total of 268 patients (165 adults and 103 paediatric), and all were determined to be of high risk of bias and none reported a significant effect on mortality. Two RCTs found a significant reduction in bleeding and five RCTs found a significant reduction in transfusion requirements. The 23 non‐randomised studies included a total of 2825 patients, but only 11 of 23 studies included a control group. Three out of 11 found a reduction in transfusion requirements while mortality was reduced in two and bleeding in one. In the available RCTs, which all have substantial shortcomings, we found a significant reduction in bleeding and transfusions requirements. However, data on mortality were lacking. Weak evidence from RCTs supports the use of fibrinogen concentrate in bleeding patients, primarily in elective cardiac surgery, but a general use of fibrinogen across all settings is only supported by non‐randomised studies with serious methodological shortcomings. It seems pre‐mature to conclude whether fibrinogen concentrate has a routine role in the management of bleeding and coagulopathic patients. More RCTs are urgently warranted.

Prediction of postpartum blood transfusion – risk factors and recurrence

Abstract Objective: The aim was to find clinically useful risk factors for postpartum transfusion and to assess the joint predictive value in a population of women with a first and second delivery. Methods: All Danish women with a first and second delivery from January 2001 to September 2009 who gave birth in a hospital that reported transfusion of red blood cells to a national database: A total of 96 545 women were included. Results: Retained placental tissue explained more than all other risk factors in vaginal deliveries. Retained placental tissue at first delivery was associated with postpartum transfusion at a second vaginal delivery, and may also be used as an early predictor in parallel with a history of either placental abruption, postpartum transfusion or caesarean delivery. The positive predictive values of having more than one risk factor was low (2.2%–2.7%). Conclusions: Prediction of postpartum transfusion is difficult. Retained placental tissue is the strongest predictor of postpartum blood transfusion in vaginal deliveries. Retained placental tissue is usually diagnosed for the first time when the bleeding starts, which limits the clinical value of prediction. We need tools for an early diagnosis of retained placenta to intervene early before transfusion is needed.