Methods: January 2010 and December 2010, 1101 consecutive open heart surgery patients were retrospectively analyzed using their anesthetic charts. Demographic data of the patients, activated coagulation time (ACT), administration of additional heparin dose, fresh-frozen plasma, and antithrombin III (AT-III) treatments were recorded. Statistical analysis was performed based on frequency tables and median calculation in all categories.

Results: Of patients, 409 patients (37%) received additional heparin once (n=305) and twice (n=54). Forty-nine patients (4.45%) with normal ACT levels (<450 sec) after second additional heparin dose, received fresh frozen plasma. Antithrombin-III treatment was given to two patients (0.18%). A total of 37% patients needed higher doses of heparin with a 4.45% and 0.18% incidence of fresh frozen plasma and AT-III treatments respectively. The incidence of heparin resistance was 4.6%.

Conclusion: Our study results showed that the most frequently preferred treatment modality was fresh-frozen plasma application in patients with heparin resistance to achieve normal ACT levels.