Achieving hemostasis in the surgical field

Hemostatic mechanisms are an integral part of the human physiology. Traditionally divided into intrinsic and extrinsic arms, the coagulation cascade converges, through the interactions of many different factors, at a common element-thrombin. As a consequence, a number of different agents have been developed to supplement this common, critical step to aid surgical hemostasis. Intraoperative interventions most commonly include sutures and heat-generating cautery devices; however, these methods are sometimes insufficient or inappropriate for a specific procedure or anatomic location, leading to the development of other adjunctive therapies, including topical hemostats. Topical hemostatic agents generally act as active, passive, and combinations therapies, depending on their individual composition and mode of action. We provide a brief review of the normal coagulation cascade, including critical points, followed by a discussion of surgical strategies and adjuctive therapies used to achieve surgical hemostasis and concluding with a discussion of topical thrombins.