The widespread application of antithrombotic agents carries significant potential for inducing excessive peri-operative hemorrhage during cardiac surgery. Specific surgical and medical strategies can be employed to attenuate this bleeding. These antithrombotic agents and anti-hemorrhagic measures will be reviewed in depth.
Minimally Invasive and Robotic Cardiac Surgery Program, Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Pennsylvania, Silverstein 6, 3400 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. wooy@uphs.upenn.edu
