Thrombelastography as an aid to regional anesthesia: preliminary communication. 1991

P E Bigeleisen, and Y Kang
Department of Anesthesiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Presbyterian-University Hospital, Pennsylvania 15213.

Thrombelastography (TEG), a less commonly available technique used to assess hemostatic function, has recently gained popularity. Analysis of TEG yields qualitative information about platelet function, thromboplastin generation and their interaction with the intrinsic cascade to form a stable clot. Additional information is obtained about fibrinogen and Factor XIII levels as well as the fibrinolytic system. TEG has been shown to be more sensitive and accurate than traditional coagulation tests at both predicting and treating coagulopathies. We report here three cases in which TEG was used to assess hemostatic function in patients at risk for bleeding prior to the induction of regional anesthesia. In all three cases, traditional tests were inadequate to predict the safe practice of regional anesthesia. TEG provided this information and regional anesthesia was successfully employed.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D008875 Middle Aged An adult aged 45 - 64 years. Middle Age
D011300 Preoperative Care Care given during the period prior to undergoing surgery when psychological and physical preparations are made according to the special needs of the individual patient. This period spans the time between admission to the hospital to the time the surgery begins. (From Dictionary of Health Services Management, 2d ed) Care, Preoperative,Preoperative Procedure,Preoperative Procedures,Procedure, Preoperative,Procedures, Preoperative
D001778 Blood Coagulation Disorders Hemorrhagic and thrombotic disorders that occur as a consequence of abnormalities in blood coagulation due to a variety of factors such as COAGULATION PROTEIN DISORDERS; BLOOD PLATELET DISORDERS; BLOOD PROTEIN DISORDERS or nutritional conditions. Coagulation Disorders, Blood,Disorders, Blood Coagulation,Blood Coagulation Disorder,Coagulation Disorder, Blood,Disorder, Blood Coagulation
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000368 Aged A person 65 years of age or older. For a person older than 79 years, AGED, 80 AND OVER is available. Elderly
D000765 Anesthesia, Conduction Injection of an anesthetic to inhibit nerve transmission in a specific part of the body. Anesthesia, Regional,Conduction Anesthesia,Regional Anesthesia
D013916 Thrombelastography Use of a thrombelastograph, which provides a continuous graphic record of the physical shape of a clot during fibrin formation and subsequent lysis. Thromboelastography,Thromboelastometry

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