Literature review of apheresis procedures performed perioperatively in cardiac surgery for ASFA category indications.

BACKGROUND: Perioperative therapeutic plasma exchange in patients with cardiovascular diseases poses several challenges, including alterations in intravascular volume, serum electrolytes, the coagulation cascade, and drug pharmacokinetics.

METHODS: This review article summarizes different indications of plasma exchange for patients requiring cardiac surgery based on reported case reports and case series.

RESULTS: The most common reported indication is plasma exchange for the management of allosensitized cardiac transplant candidate patients in combination with immunosuppressive regimens, which increases the likelihood of obtaining a cross-match-negative allograft, improving post-transplant clinical outcome. The second most common indication is for patients with a history of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia syndrome that permits the use of heparin in cardiopulmonary bypass in an urgent cardiac surgery. Less common indications are restoration of clotting factors for patients with congenital bleeding disorders or removal of cold agglutinins. No severe complications were described in reported cases.

CONCLUSION: Therapeutic plasma exchange is an effective and safe procedure that could be performed preoperatively and intraoperatively in urgent cardiac surgery for the management of antibody-mediated disorders including allosensitized cardiac transplant candidate patients or patients with heparin-induced thrombocytopenia syndrome.