[Blood coagulation monitoring during liver transplantation: Sonoclot analysis and laboratory tests]

BACKGROUND: Aim of this paper is to validate blood coagulation data obtained using the Sonoclot thromboelastographic analyser (Sienco Inc., Morrison, USA) by means of standard laboratory tests during orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). METHODS: DESIGN: comparative study between laboratory data and Sonoclot analysis on simultaneously collected blood samples. SETTING: National Health System Liver Transplantation Center. PATIENTS: fifty-one patients, both males and females, affected by terminal hepatic disease submitted to OLT were enrolled in the study. DATA COLLECTION: simultaneous blood samples were collected during the pre-anhepatic, anhepatic and post-reperfusion phases of OLT; coagulation status was assessed by means of either standard Laboratory tests (INR, aPTT, Fibrinogen, PLT, D-Dimer) and Sonoclot analyser data (SonACT, Rate, Time to Peak, Downward Deflection); a statistical analysis was performed (Pearson s chi(2) test). RESULTS: A statistically significative correlation between the analysed data was found. The Sonoclot analyser was useful in identifying platelets dysfunction and was more sensitive to detect fibrinolysis. CONCLUSIONS: The Sonoclot thromboelastographic analyser is a reliable device for monitoring coagulation during OLT.