Abstract
Heparin has been considered to be an essential substance for extracorponeal circulation. However, administration of heparin unnecessarily prolongs clotting time of the patients who may be complicated with gastrointestinal or postoperative bleeding.
Prostaglandin I2 which is known to inhibit platelet aggregability and adhesiveness was introduced as an anticoagulant for extracorponeal circulation.
Extracorponeal circulation with prostaglandin I2 (200-1200μg/hour) was done for 1-2 hours in 6 dogs where whole blood clotting time was kept 5-11min. Some fibrin clots were observed in an air trap, but venous line pressure remained low.
In a case of a human patient with acute renal failure (67yrs. male) who complicated with gastrointestinal bleeding, hemodialysis was performed for 4 hours with prostaglandin I2, whole blood clotting time was maintained 8-10min. After the hemodialysis gastrointestinal bleeding was not observed. Dialysis performance in a new method of anticoagulation with prostaglandin I2 was evidenced to be comparable to that in a traditional heparin administration.
