Recombinant factor VIIa in the management of surgery and acute bleeding episodes in children with haemophilia and high responding inhibitors.

The management of acute and surgical bleeding episodes in children with severe factor VIII or IX deficiency who develop high responding inhibitors presents a major therapeutic challenge to clinicians. Recombinant factor VIIa (rVIIa) is an effective, reliable and safe treatment that can be used to treat acute bleeding episodes prior to commencing an immune tolerance programme and to cover surgical procedures until the immune tolerance programme is successful. In a significant minority of patients, immune tolerance therapy is ineffective and an alternative haemostatic agent such as rVIIa is required for life-long treatment. The present study evaluated the use of rVIIa in a paediatric setting. Twelve children, aged 1-16 years, were treated successfully with rVIIa to prevent surgical bleeding in 20 surgical procedures (19 central venous access device insertion or removal, 1 dental extraction). Minor postoperative haematomata developed in 2 out of 20 cases after regular rVIIa therapy had been discontinued and resolved with a short course of rVIIa in both cases. Three children had six life- or limb-threatening bleeding episodes. All bleeding episodes resolved with regular rVIIa treatment although topical fibrin glue was needed in one child with a frenulum tear. One patient required two red cell transfusions for symptomatic anaemia resulting from two separate bleeding episodes. The rVIIa therapy was well tolerated and there was no evidence of treatment-related complications. We conclude that rVIIa is the treatment of choice for the management of surgery and acute life- or limb-threatening bleeding in children with haemophilia and high responding inhibitors.