Bleeding Prophylaxis in a Child With Cleft Palate and Factor VII Deficiency: A Case Report

Bleeding prophylaxis in a child with cleft palate and factor VII deficiency: a case report. Pirrello R, Siragusa S, Giambona C, D'Arpa S, Cordova A, Moschella F. Source Dipartimento di Discipline Chirurgiche ed Oncologiche, Sezione di Chirurgia Plastica e Ricostruttiva, Università di Palermo, Palermo, Italy. Abstract The association between factor VII deficiency and cleft palate has never been described. The case of a child with cleft palate and factor VII deficiency who successfully underwent palatoplasty is described in this article. To allow surgical treatment, through maintenance of a normal prothrombin time, the patient was given 15 microg/kg of recombinant factor VIIa every 12 hours, starting 20 minutes before surgery and ending the third postoperative day. No abnormal perioperative bleeding was observed. Use of recombinant factor VIIa in bleeding prophylaxis or treatment is widespread. Doses are much higher in these cases. The reduction of dosage allows easier administration, especially in pediatric patients, without affecting drug efficacy