title: Changes in fibrinogen levels in patients undergoing open and laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Venous thromboembolic complications may be more common after laparoscopic surgical techniques, possibly due to changes in venous flow and blood coagulability.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study assessed fibrinogen, cross-linked fibrin degradation products (D-dimer), prothrombin international normalized ration (INR), activated partial thromboplastic time (APTT) and platelets, during and after both open and laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication to determine whether coagulability is increased by the laparoscopic approach.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seven patients underwent open and thirteen underwent laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication. Fibrinogen levels following open fundoplication fell from 2.8 +/- 0.3 g/L pre-operatively to 2.0 +/- 0.3 g/L following skin incision, and then increased to 4.1 +/- 0.4 g/L on the first postoperative day. Similar changes in fibrinogen occurred following laparoscopic fundoplication (2.7 +/- 0.2, 2.5 +/ 0.2 and 3.8 +/- 0.4 g/L, respectively). No significant changes in the other coagulation indices were observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results demonstrate hypercoagulability on the first postoperative day, irrespective of the operative technique. No differences between the results following laparoscopic and open fundoplication were demonstrated.
authors.affiliation: Royal Adelaide Centre for Endoscopic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Royal Adelaide Hospital, South Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: G K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Pike
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Bessell
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mathew
authors.forename: D I
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Watson
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Mitchell
authors.forename: G G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Jamieson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001780:Blood Coagulation Tests; D005260:Female; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000032:analysis*; D018662:Fundoplication; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000097:blood / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011184:Postoperative Period
chemical_list: D005340:Fibrinogen