A STUDY OF CERTAIN ASPECTS OF BLOOD COAGULATION IN THE POSTOPERATIVE STATE IN CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE AND IN THROMBOPHLEBITIS

Abstract

Of 29 postoperative patients studied for evidence of accelerated blood coagulation, 19 showed acceleration by the Waugh and Ruddick test; 10 showed acceleration in lusteroid tubes; 6 showed increased heparin tolerance; 5 showed shortening of the whole plasma prothrombin time; 3 showed shortening of the 12.5% plasma prothrombin time; 3 showed an acceleration by the modified Lee-White test. The various tests showed no correlation. The tests could not be used to predict thrombophlebitis. Among 27 patients suffering from congestive heart failure, 25 of whom were receiving digitalis, only one showed acceleration of coagulation in lusteroid tubes, and 2 showed acceleration by the Lee-White test. The 12.5% plasma prothrombin time was found no more sensitive to hypercoagulability than the whole plasma prothrombin time.