A FLOW DYNAMIC TECHNIQUE USED TO ASSESS GLOBAL HEMOSTASIS

Global haemostasis was assessed on blood from patients with establishe d blood clotting abnormalities using a hollow fibre flow device. The i nstrument monitors pressure changes across a polyethylene fibre throug h which non-anticoagulated whole blood is perfused. This method of ana lysis is significant because it (1) minimizes or eliminates common pro blems associated with routine clinical evaluations, such as sample dil ution, completion time, and anticoagulant artifacts, (2) rapidly (unde r 90 min) and accurately calculates in vitro bleeding time (IVBT) and whole blood clotting time (WBCT), (3) presents a reliable means of dis tinguishing coagulation defects from platelet dysfunction, and (4) red uces the need for a series of screening tests to a single test that re quires a small amount of non-anticoagulated whole blood. Using this te chnology, global haemostasis of normal volunteers was studied using bl ood samples spiked with PPACK and prostacyclin. Blood from patients wi th acquired factor VIII deficiency and Glanzmann's thrombasthenia and from those receiving Coumadin therapy were also studied. The hollow fi bre device detailed haemostatic abnormalities of both congenital and t herapeutic conditions.