Intra-pericardial use of recombinant factor VIIa in a patient with acute hemorrhagic pericardial effusion following transcutaneous aortic valve replacement-a case report

Perioperative bleeding can be a serious life-threatening complication in adult patients undergoing cardiac surgery, given the older age and additional comorbidities present in this patient population. The standard treatment options include transfusion of blood components and surgical re-exploration. We report the first case of an elderly female patient treated with local administration of recombinant factor VIIa (rFVIIa) for intractable hemorrhagic pericardial effusion, which developed following a transcutaneous aortic valve replacement (TAVR) procedure for severe aortic stenosis. No thromboembolic phenomena or adverse effects were observed. Local administration of rFVIIa is an efficacious treatment option for cardiac surgery patients as opposed to systemic administration of rFVIIa, use of massive blood products, or surgical re-exploration.