Hemorrhage After Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Procedures

OBJECTIVES: To identify risk factors for excessive bleeding after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) procedures and to quantify the outcomes related to this complication. DESIGN: We conducted a case-control study to identify risk factors for hemorrhage following CABG surgery and a historical cohort study to quantify outcomes of hemorrhage. SETTING: The cardiothoracic surgery service of a university hospital. RESULTS: Factors associated with excessive blood loss were recent catheterization (odds ratio [OR] = 0.44; 95% confidence interval [CI95], 0.21 to 0.91); age older than 65 years (OR = 1.94; CI95, 0.96 to 3.93); bypass time of 150 minutes or more (OR = 2.91; CI95, 1.09 to 7.81); and postoperative platelet count of 160,000/mm3 or less (OR = 2.36; CI95, 1.06 to 5.22). The attributable cost of a postoperative hemorrhage was $3,866 (P = .0002) overall, $9,912 (P = .0001) for patients who required reoperation, and $3,316 (P = .03) for those treated medically. The median attributable postoperative length of stay was 1 day longer for cases than for controls (P = .011). Postoperatively, patients who hemorrhaged received significantly larger volumes of packed red blood cells (P < .0001), fresh frozen plasma (P < .0001), platelets (P < .0001), plasminate (P = .007), protamine sulfate (P < .0001), desmopressin acetate (P < .0001), and epsilon-aminocaproic acid (P < .0001) than did controls. CONCLUSIONS: Age, duration of bypass, and postoperative platelet count were associated with excessive bleeding. Hemorrhage after CABG surgery significantly increased the length of stay and cost of care.