Cryoprecipitate

Cryoprecipitate is a blood product prepared from plasma. Each 15 mL unit contains about 100 U of factor VIII, 250* mg of fibrinogen, von Willebrand factor, factor XIII, and fibronectin.

• NOTE: – Standards state that there has to be a minimum of 150 mg of fibrinogen per bag of cryo, however most bags have around 250 mg (the number used in many calculations).

– There has to be a minimum of 80 IU of factor VIII.

Indications for giving cryoprecipitate include:

• Haemophilia– Used for emergency back up when factor concentrates are not available.
• von Willebrands’s disease
• hypofibrinogenaemia (low fibrinogen levels), as can occur with massive transfusions
• bleeding from excessive anticoagulation– Plasma contains most of the coagulation factors, and is a much better choice when anticoagulation has to be quickly reversed.
• massive haemorrhage– RBCs and volume expanders are much better choices for this.
• disseminated intravascular coagulation

1. Erber WN, Perry DJ (2006) Plasma and plasma products in the treatment of massive haemorrhage. Best Pract Res Clin Haematol 19(1):97-112. PMID 16377544

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