Rotational Thromboelastometry Helps to Reduce Blood Product Consumption in Critically Ill Patients during Small Surgical Procedures at the Intensive Care Unit - a Retrospective Clinical Analysis and Literature Search.

Background: Patients at intensive care units (ICUs) are often transfused to correct increased coagulation parameters (prothrombin time and activated partial thromboplastine time) and/or low platelet count. Thromboelastometry using whole blood is considered to be superior to these tests. In clinical praxis, prolonged standard tests are seen but thromboelastometry values are normal.

Tracheostomy in intensive care unit patients can be performed without bleeding complications in case of normal thromboelastometry results (EXTEM CT) despite increased PT-INR: a prospective pilot study.

Background: Coagulopathy is often accompanied by prolongation of prothrombin time (PT) in septic and nonseptic patients in intensive care unit (ICU). The conventional way to correct the coagulopathy is to administer fresh frozen plasma (FFP) before invasive procedures to minimise the risk of bleeding. However, prolonged PT can be present even in hypercoagulation status, resulting in unnecessary administration of FFP.

Evaluation of fibrinogen concentrates and prothrombin complex concentrates on coagulation changes in a hypothermic in vitro model using thromboelastometry and thromboelastography.

Background: Hypothermic coagulopathy is very challenging in bleeding trauma patients. Therefore, we decided to evaluate the efficacy of fibrinogen and prothrombin complex in 30°C hypothermia in vitro to investigate if higher levels of fibrinogen and prothrombin complex concentrate can compensate for the hypothermic effect on coagulation as measured by thromboelastometry/thromboelastography.

Methods: Blood samples were obtained from 12 healthy volunteers (six men and six women) in our study.