title: Pedicled pericardial fat pad: a useful hemostatic supplement.
abstract: Control of bleeding in areas difficult to suture because of tissue friability, edema, or calcification poses a serious problem in cardiac surgery patients. We report the use of a pedicled pericardial fat pad as an adjunct to the control of bleeding in these difficult-to-suture areas. This technique was used in 9 patients who were bleeding from different areas (the atria, coronary sinus, aorta, and myocardium), and the bleeding was completely and easily controlled. We consider the pedicled pericardial fat pad to be a useful supplement when suturing alone cannot effectively bring the bleeding under control.
authors.affiliation: Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: G C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Economopoulos
authors.forename: P D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Sfirakis
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Zarkalis
authors.forename: L L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Loukas
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000637:transplantation; D016063:Blood Loss, Surgical / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D006488:Hemostasis, Surgical / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D010496:Pericardium / Q000637:transplantation; D013524:Surgical Flaps / Q000379:methods*; D013536:Suture Techniques