https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35906750/ transplant

Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2022 Jul 29;e29898.
doi: 10.1002/pbc.29898. Online ahead of print.

Early thrombotic and hemorrhagic complications associated with a risk-adjusted postoperative anticoagulation protocol after pediatric liver transplantation

Caroline P Lemoine 1, Katherine A Brandt 1, Saeed Mohammad 2, Rukhmi Bhat 3, Riccardo Superina 1

Abstract

Background: Systemic anticoagulation after pediatric liver transplantation (pLT) is believed to reduce the incidence of vascular thrombosis, but it may also cause an increase in hemorrhagic complications.

Procedure: A 5-year retrospective review of pLT done at our institution was performed (2014-2018). The occurrence of early hemorrhagic and thrombotic complications was compared when using low-dose or high-dose anticoagulation after transplant (p < .05 considered significant).

Results: Sixty-nine patients received 73 transplants during the study period. Median age at transplant was 2.3 years (40 days to 18.5 years). Low-dose anticoagulation was utilized in 71% cases. Additionally, six patients were converted from low-dose to high-dose anticoagulation because of a thrombotic event or concerns for suboptimal vascular inflow. Postoperative anticoagulation was discontinued in 18 occurrences due to bleeding (low dose 19%, high dose 47% vs. low dose to high dose 17%, p = .085). Surgical take back for bleeding occurred in 17 occasions (low dose 13.5%, high dose 53% vs. low dose to high dose 33%, p = .005). The overall incidence of hepatic artery thrombosis (HAT) and portal vein thrombosis were each 5.5%, respectively. While patient survival was not statistically different between groups, graft survival was significantly lower in the high-dose group (low dose 93%, high dose 73% vs. low dose to high dose 100%, p = .046). However, graft losses from HAT were similar between groups (low dose 2%, high dose 7% vs. low dose to high dose 0%, p = .56).

Conclusion: The use of a standardized risk-adjusted anticoagulation protocol after pLT is associated with a low occurrence of thrombotic and hemorrhagic complications. High-dose anticoagulation leads to more bleeding, but those risks outweigh the risks of possible graft loss.