Post cardiac surgery blood loss: Effect of washing residual cardiopulmonary bypass circuit blood red cells prior to re-infusion.

This study investigates whether or not washing the red cells before they are returned to your child will improve the ability of your child’s blood to clot and lead to less blood loss after cardiac surgery. Most cardiac surgical procedures require a heart lung machine to keep blood flowing while your child's own heart is stopped. After unhooking the heart lung machine, there is a lot of blood left in the machine. This blood is routinely returned to your child after the surgery is over.

Who can participate in this study?

• In order to participate your child must be between 2 and 10 years of age and between 15 and 30 kg undergoing routine heart surgery requiring cardiopulmonary bypass at British Columbia Children’s Hospital.  Only those children whose surgery is of the type where all the heart lung machine blood is normally given back to them will be invited to participate in this study.

Who should not participate in this study?

• Children who have a problem with blood clotting should not participate in this study.

Status?

• Actively recruiting subjects.

For more information, please see the Consent/Information form