Clinical use of fresh-frozen plasma and cryoprecipitate in neonatal intensive care unit.

Evidence-based indications for the use of plasma products in neonatal medicine are limited to few conditions. In the setting of inherited disorders of hemostasis, fresh frozen plasma (FFP) and cryoprecipitate should be used as replacement therapy only if the specific factor concentrate is not available. FFP is indicated to treat disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), liver failure, vitamin K-dependent bleeding and to reconstitute whole blood for exchange transfusion. Despite the lack of evidence, the use of cryoprecipitate to treat neonates with acquired hypofibrinogenemia during DIC or liver failure is now considered standard therapy.