Reduction in Bleeding after Heart-Lung Transplantation The Importance of Posterior Mediastinal Hemostasis

To reduce perioperative hemorrhage following heart-lung transplantation, several technical modifications were introduced in June 1988 to secure better posterior mediastinal hemostasis. The intraoperative and postoperative use of blood and blood products, as well as the chest tube drainage in the first 24 hours postoperatively, were compared in the seven patients operated on since June 1988 with the nine patients operated on before that date. …