Author(s): Cheng Fan
Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) is a common venous thromboembolism disorder and a major cause of hospital-related morbidity and mortality. Comprehensive assessment of DVT related coagulation abnormalities may help to early identify and prevent this life-threatening complication. Conventional coagulation assays lack sufficient information of the clotting of whole blood and are of limited value in the assessment of coagulation status of patients with DVT. In contrast, whole-blood viscoelastic coagulation tests including Thromboelastography (TEG) and Rotational Thromboelastometry (ROTEM) allow rapid identification of coagulation disorders. TEG/ROTEM have shown promising efficacy in identifying patients with increased risk of DVT and are predictive for the occurrence of DVT. Furthermore, TEG/ROTEM has been demonstrated effective in detecting DVT related hypercoagulability and identifying DVT. In addition, TEG/ROTEM may be used to guide anticoagulation therapy in patients with DVT. We suggest the routine use of TEG/ROTEM in combination with other coagulation laboratory tests to enhance effectiveness and improve quality assurance in prophylaxis, diagnosis and management of DVT.
