Con: desmopressin is not of value in the treatment of post-cardiopulmonary bypass bleeding

Abstract

Following two early promising reports that treatment with intravenous DDAVP was helpful in reducing postoperative hemorrhage and the amount of transfusion with homologous blood products in patients who had undergone cardiac surgery with CPB, these results were not repeated in any of the follow-up studies. At the present time, the routine prophylactic use of DDAVP in cardiac surgery cannot be recommended for patients undergoing closure of atrial septal defect, valve repair or replacement, primary CABG, or in children requiring cardiac surgery. The use of DDAVP in complicated procedures or for control of severe postoperative bleeding remains controversial. In the authors' opinion, DDAVP should not be used in cardiac surgery except in patients with a presurgical DDAVP-responsive coagulopathy.