title: Pathophysiology and treatment of coagulopathy in massive hemorrhage and hemodilution.
abstract: Fluid resuscitation after massive hemorrhage in major surgery and trauma may result in extensive hemodilution and coagulopathy, which is of a multifactorial nature. Although coagulopathy is often perceived as hemorrhagic, extensive hemodilution affects procoagulants as well as anticoagulant, profibrinolytic, and antifibrinolytic elements, leading to a complex coagulation disorder. Reduced thrombin activation is partially compensated by lower inhibitory activities of antithrombin and other protease inhibitors, whereas plasma fibrinogen is rapidly decreased proportional to the extent of hemodilution. Adequate fibrinogen levels are essential in managing dilutional coagulopathy. After extensive hemodilution, fibrin clots are more prone to fibrinolysis because major antifibrinolytic proteins are decreased.Fresh frozen plasma, platelet concentrate, and cryoprecipitate are considered the mainstay hemostatic therapies. Purified factor concentrates of plasma origin and from recombinant synthesis are increasingly used for a rapid restoration of targeted factors. Future clinical studies are necessary to establish the specific indication, dosing, and safety of novel hemostatic interventions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, University of Basel Hospital, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bolliger
authors.forename: Klaus
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Görlinger
authors.forename: Kenichi A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Tanaka
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001778:Blood Coagulation Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D006438:Hemodilution / Q000379:methods*; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D019106:Postoperative Hemorrhage / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D016896:Treatment Outcome