title: [Coagulation Monitoring using ROTEM(®): Pro].
abstract: Coagulation and haemostasis in critical ill patients, either in massively bleeding patients in the emergency room and the operating theatre (TIC = trauma induced coagulopathy) or in septic patients suffering from multiorgan failure (DIC = disseminated intravascular coagulopathy) have to be identified and monitored promptly to initiate and monitor an effective therapy - either aggressive therapy using coagulation factor concentrates and blood products or a keen anticoagulation. Under this circumstances, standard coagulation monitoring using PT (INR), aPTT and fibrinogen (Clauss method) is limited. In critical ill patients, these parameters are neither able to predict risk of bleeding nor the risk of thrombosis. New viscoelastic methods like the ROTEM® may help to improve coagulation monitoring and management even in the emergency situation or under critical care conditions.
authors.affiliation: Abteilung für Allgemeine und Chirurgische Intensivmedizin, der Medizinischen Universität Innsbruck, Germany. dietmar.fries@i-med.ac.at
authors.forename: Dietmar
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fries
mesh_terms: D001778:Blood Coagulation Disorders / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D013916:Thrombelastography / Q000379:methods*