Management of Direct Oral Anticoagulants in Acute Type A Aortic Dissection

This case series demonstrates that preoperative management of DOACs in patients with ATAAD may employ factor repletion with success. Literature review demonstrated a safety signal for heparin insensitivity or pump thrombosis when andexanet-alfa was administered before or while on cardiopulmonary bypass or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Our institutional clinical practice guidelines recommend against administration of andexanet-alfa within 4 to 6 hours before heparinization for surgery in ATAAD but recommend considering andexanet-alfa administration when there is life-threatening bleeding after heparin reversal that is thought to be due to Xa-inhibition with laboratory evidence of elevated anti-Xa activity.