[Noncardiac risk factors in heart surgery--the blood coagulation system]

Diagnostics and therapy in coagulation disorders are presented. A special emphasis is given to alterations of blood coagulation in cardiac surgery. No major rule can be defined for this particular field. All disturbances of blood coagulation may become clinically overt in highly variable combinations, thus representing no or high risk to patients conditions. This implies that the actual risk has to be estimated individually for every patient and that the risk of the cardiac disorder has to be considered in view of the risk of the operation plus potential disturbances in coagulation. The latter in order to be assessed appropriately, clearly requires a laboratory specialised in diagnostics of coagulation, as well as a highly experienced coagulation physiologist for decision making. Following this policy, we have not been forced to disagree about extracorporeal circulation for cardiac surgery in most instances. Problems have been confined to patients suffering from various hepatic disorders or from impaired platelet functions.