Time-related anticoagulation after regional and systemic administration of heparin in patients undergoing aortoiliac surgery

Heparin anticoagulation during cardiovascular surgical procedures remains poorly investigated and understood. The objective of this investigation was to assess the effectiveness of three methods of heparin administration. Heparin sulfate (75 IU/kg) administered to patients undergoing aortoiliac surgery was randomised to one of three methods: Group I (n = 9) heparin was injected into a central venous line 5 minutes before infrarenal aortic clamping; Group II (n = 9) heparin was injected into the distal aneurysm immediately after infrarenal aortic clamping; and Group III (n = 8) heparin was injected into a central venous line immediately after infrarenal aortic clamping. Blood samples were analysed for anticoagulant activity from both the upper and lower extremities at 5, 15, 30, 60, and 120 minutes after heparin administration. Anticoagulation, as measured by aPTT, antifactor Xa levels, and ACT, was achieved in all three groups by 5 minutes, but initially with lower heparin activity (measured as antifactor Xa) in the upper extremity (Group II) and lower extremity (Group III), respectively. These differences were also evident in ACT and aPTT determinations. Intravenous heparin administration prior to aortic cross-clamping achieves excellent anticoagulation (anti-factor Xa ∼ 1 U/ml) in both upper and lower extremities after 5 minutes. With regional administration, rapid heparin redistribution occurs, but it takes longer to achieve the same level of anticoagulation distant from the site of administration. Nevertheless, from a practical perspective the method of administration does not appear to have a great influence on the eventual achievement of adequate anticoagulation.