Octapharma at ESAIC 2024: Advancing Surgical Bleeding and Coagulation Management

ESAIC 2024 (European Society of Anastheseology and Intensive Care), held at the International Congress Center Messe Munich on May 25 – 27, showcased the best of innovations in anaesthesia, intensive care, and emergency medicine to an international audience of over 6,000 healthcare professionals. Octapharma made a significant impact at the event, offering a symposium, hands-on workshops, and an engaging interactive exhibition booth, all designed to share exciting updates on Octapharma’s product offer to support bleeding management strategies.

“ESAIC serves as an exceptional platform for disseminating the latest clinical data and engaging our customers in critical discussions on practical implementation with global experts. Our company's contributions to advancing tailored patient care and providing hands-on learning experiences were highly appreciated by attendees. The recent incorporation of our data into international guidelines and the widespread acceptance of our educational offerings affirm our approach and inspire us to continue our efforts.” said Dr Oliver Hegener, SVP, Head of Critical Care International Business Unit at Octapharma.

Navigating coagulation challenges in major surgery

The symposium, chaired by Prof. Dr Oliver Grottke, RWTH University Clinic, Aachen, Germany, presented the latest advancements in surgical bleeding management and attracted  an audience of more than 400 attendees. Prof. Grottke's opened the proceedings with his talk on "When to Reverse DOACs in the Perioperative Period", referencing the newly published EU guideline on the reversal of DOACs and the recently published ANNEXA-I study results.

He highlighted that due to the higher incidence of adverse events of andexanet compared to  standard care, the potential net benefit in acute intracerebral hemorrhage is debatable. Additionally, he mentioned the cost benefit of PPC over other DOAC reversal options. Similarly, he underlined that new guidelines discourage the use of andexanet alfa in cardiac surgery under FXa inhibitors, due to the associated risk of developing heparin resistance.  

Prof. Fuat Saner, King Faisal Specialized Hospital & Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, presented “Coagulation Management in Liver Transplantation", focusing on major challenges in achieving coagulation balance during liver transplant and how to tackle them. When portal hypertension can be excluded as a cause for bleeding and coagulopathy is confirmed, the replacement of FFP transfusion by fibrinogen and prothrombin management reduces bleeding and decreases portal venous pressure. He advocated strongly for adoption of goal-directed strategies to increase bleeding control, patient safety and survival of the transplant organ.

The third presentation by Prof. Dietmar Fries, Medical University, Innsbruck, Austria, titled "Finding the Balance between Bleeding and Thrombosis", discussed the challenges of managing coagulation in patients undergoing ECMO therapy, challenges of heparin resistance diagnosis and the role of antithrombin in tailored management of such complications. Prof. Fries covered the management of thrombocytopenia, factor XIII and fibrinogen deficiency, as well as acquired von Willebrand syndrome, stressing the tailored diagnostics-based use of factor concentrates.

This practical content of expert presentations facilitated an interactive and educational session with 350 international clinicians participating in person and 75 via live stream. The session’s recordings are available on Science Hub, for on-demand learning.

Workshop: Real case discussion on Patient Bleeding Management

Chaired by Dr Juan V. Llau, Anesthesiologist, University Hospital Doctor Peset, University of Valencia, Spain and Dr Dominik Wiedemann, Cardiac Surgeon, University Hospital St. Pölten, Karl Landsteiner Private University, Austria, who brought the anesthesiologist and surgical  perspective on the real-world application of bleeding management strategies. This enabled clinicians to engage directly with complex patient scenarios and bridge the gap between theory and practice.

ATN-108 study protocol unveiled in poster presentations: Evaluating ATIII Efficacy in Cardiac Surgery

Dr Cristina Solomon, VP CR&D Haematology at Octapharma,presented the latest ATIII study protocol of ATN-108 through engaging poster presentations. The ATN-108 study aims to evaluate the efficacy of two doses of ATIII versus placebo, in restoring and maintaining heparin responses in adult patients undergoing cardiac surgery necessitating cardiopulmonary bypass.

Solomon, C., Argyle, C., & Levy, J. (2024, May 25–27). The efficacy and safety of human plasma-derived antithrombin in heparin-resistant cardiac surgery patients: A double‑blind, placebo-controlled, multicentre study (ATN-108) [Poster presentation]. ESAIC 2024, Munich, Germany.