Coagulation abnormalities in the critically III

Abstract

Bleeding is one of the major complications of surgery. Serious intraoperative and postoperative bleeding may be caused not only by a local problem in surgical hemostasis, such as a failed ligature, but can also be caused by a defect in the hemostatic system. Surgical hemostasis and an adequate function of the coagulation system are complementary; in some cases, a patient with a (minor) hemostatic defect may be operated upon without any specific perioperative intervention in the coagulation system, whereas in other instances improvement of blood coagulation may be necessary before surgery.1 © 2010 Springer-Verlag US.