Viscoelastic Testing in the Management of Adult Patients on Mechanical Circulatory Support Devices with Focus on Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation.

Thromboembolic and hemorrhagic complications continue to remain frequent complications that significantly impact the morbidity and mortality of patients implanted with mechanical circulatory support devices (MCSDs). The severe acute respiratory syndrome caused by coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has resulted in a number of COVID-19 patients being supported by MCSDs, specifically extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), which in turn has created a crucial need for rapid assessment of hemostatic status in these patients to avoid bleeding and thrombotic complications. Currently, conventional plasma-based coagulation assays such as prothrombin time and activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) are used to assess hemostasis, and the activated clotting time (ACT) and aPTT are the most common tests used to monitor heparin anticoagulation in patients on ECMO.

Endothelial Glycocalyx and Cardiopulmonary Bypass.

On the outer surface of a human cell there is a dense layer of complex carbohydrates called glycocalyx, also referred to as glycans or the sugar coating on the cell surface, which is composed of a complex array of oligosaccharide and polysaccharide glucose chains that are covalently bonded to proteoglycans and lipids bound to the cell membrane surface. Studies of an intact endothelial glycocalyx layer (EGL) have revealed a number of critical functions that relate the importance of this protective layer to vascular integrity and permeability. These functions include the following: stabilization and maintenance of the vascular endothelium, an active reservoir of essential plasma proteins (i.

Fibrinolysis in Trauma: "Myth," "Reality," or "Something in Between".

The emphasis on fibrinolysis as an important contributor to trauma-induced coagulopathy (TIC) has led to a debate regarding the relative clinical significance of fibrinolysis in the setting of trauma. The debate has centered on two camps. The one camp defines fibrinolysis in trauma by standard coagulation tests as well as fibrin split products, D-dimers, and plasmin/antiplasmin levels.

Tranexamic Acid for Trauma Resuscitation in the United States of America.

The utilization of tranexamic acid (TXA) for the management of bleeding trauma patients has been a subject of much debate on both sides of the Atlantic and in Australia. As a result of the large randomized controlled study called the , there was an initial enthusiasm for the use of TXA to treat bleeding patients. However, the adoption of TXA in the United States was delayed by concerns of "knowledge and evidence gaps" of the CRASH-2 study and because of a lack of mechanistic rationale that would explain the survival benefit noted in the study.

Clinical utility of thromboelastography: one size does not fit all.

Coagulation management requires the balancing of different components that contribute to clot formation. These components include the interactions between platelets, procoagulant, anticoagulant, and fibrinolytic factors. The cause of bleeding or thrombotic events is often multifactorial; however, the tests clinicians most frequently use to assess hemostasis do not reflect the complexity of the coagulation system.

Biochemistry of serine protease inhibitors and their mechanisms of action: a review.

Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) activates and disrupts the hemostatic and inflammatory systems, which, in turn, makes an impact on the clinical outcome of patients. Postoperative bleeding is one common complication of CPB. Many techniques have been used to reduce post-operative bleeding, and pharmacological agents have demonstrated the greatest efficacy.