Bleeding Risk in Children with Preoperative Prolonged Coagulation Tests

Objective: Prolonged coagulation test is a common finding before surgery. This study determined the prolonged prothrombin time (PT) and/or activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) during the surgical preparation of pediatric patients.
Material and Methods: As a cross-sectional study, 74 children aged 0.25-17 years, who had prolonged preoperative coagulation tests, were included in the Eskişehir State Hospital Pediatric Hematology and Oncology Clinic between September 3, 2013, and September 16, 2014.
Results: The mean age of the children was 5.6±3.4 years, wherein 60 (81%) cases were male. Adenoid-tonsillar operations were planned in 46%, circumcision in 43%, abdominal operations in 5%, and other operations in 6%. A history of bleeding was found in 7 (10%) of the families and 3 (4%) of the cases. Previous surgery or injury was found in 24 (32%) of the children and did not develop more bleeding than expected. The coagulation tests revealed 22 (30%) patients with prolonged PT (value range: 14-35.1 s), 47 (63%) with prolonged aPTT (value range: 37.1-129.6 s), and 5 (7%) with both prolonged PT and aPTT. A necessary operation was performed in 47 patients who did not have a history of bleeding diathesis in the patient or family, with a normal mixed test and factor levels, and PT of <20 s and aPTT of <63.3 s. No bleeding complications were observed during or after the operation in any of these cases.
Conclusion: Our results revealed that in case of prolonged PT or aPTT values before surgery, no risk of bleeding is encountered during the surgery if a history of bleeding diathesis is not present in the patient or family and factor levels are normal.