THROMBOPLASTIC REAGENT

Abstract

It is a well established fact that in certain clinical conditions, especially those following surgical procedures and trauma, the equilibrium of the coagulation elements of the blood is shifted to a state favorable to clotting.¹ A laboratory procedure is needed for detecting this tendency to intravascular clotting before the appearance of thrombotic phenomena. If such a procedure were available to the clinician, in vivo anticoagulants, such as heparin or dicoumarin (3,3′-methylene-bis [4-hydroxycoumarin] ), could be administered to patients having indications of such a tendency. Serious consequences and long periods of hospitalization could be averted in many instances. The introduction of dicoumarin,² however, has posed another problem, that of maintaining a precise control of the mechanism for blood coagulation in order to avoid hemorrhagic consequences following the use of this drug. Difficulty in maintaining a given clotting level, as well as undesirable results, including death, has been reported.³ A