Evaluation of dynamic parameters of thrombus formation measured on whole blood using rotational thromboelastometry in

David Faraoni1, Christian Fenger-Eriksen, Stephanie Gillard

  • 1Department of Anaesthesiology, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Brugmann - Queen Fabiola Children's University Hospital, Free University of Brussels, Brussels, Belgium; Department of Anesthesiology, Peri-operative and Pain Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.

Paediatric Anaesthesia
|January 15, 2015
PubMed

Insights

Dynamic thromboelastography (TEG) parameters, specifically total thrombus formation, can estimate coagulation phases in pediatric cardiac surgery patients. These findings may help predict the need for fresh frozen plasma transfusion post-surgery.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Cardiac Surgery
  • Hemostasis and Thrombosis
  • Thromboelastography

Background:

  • Coagulation dynamics are crucial in pediatric cardiac surgery.
  • Estimating thrombus formation velocity may predict hemostatic product needs.
  • Current methods may not fully capture dynamic coagulation phases.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate dynamic thromboelastography (TEG) parameters for assessing coagulation in pediatric patients undergoing cardiac surgery.
  • To determine if total thrombus formation and maximum rate of thrombus formation can predict the need for fresh frozen plasma (FFP) transfusion.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of 49 children (<3 months) undergoing cardiac surgery.
  • Comparison of EXTEM parameters (total thrombus formation, maximum rate of thrombus formation) between infants receiving FFP during bypass and those who did not.
  • Use of receiver operating characteristic curves to identify predictive variables for postoperative FFP transfusion.

Main Results:

  • Total thrombus formation and maximum rate of thrombus formation were significantly higher in children who received FFP.
  • These dynamic TEG parameters demonstrated superior specificity in predicting postoperative FFP transfusion compared to traditional parameters like clotting time and maximal clot firmness.

Conclusions:

  • Dynamic ROTEM(®) parameters, particularly total thrombus formation, can estimate coagulation amplification and propagation phases in pediatric patients.
  • These parameters show potential for predicting hemostatic product requirements in children undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass.
Abstract

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