The Relevance of Thromboelastography in Intensive Care Patients
Bailey J., Curry NS.
© 2014 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. All rights reserved. Abnormal coagulation screens are common in patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) but are poor predictors of bleeding or thrombotic risk. Thromboelastography (TEG®) and thromboelastometry (ROTEM®) are point-of-care (POC) devices that are increasingly being used in ITU to evaluate haemostatic potential, both to diagnose bleeding and thrombotic risks and more commonly to guide transfusion therapy during major bleeding. Although these tests are gaining popularity, there are few high-quality data as yet that unequivocally support their use. This chapter will briefly describe the mechanics of these tests, discuss their potential for use in the critical care setting and touch on the evidence that supports their use.