Can thromboelastography predict which patients with heparin-induced thrombocytopenia may suffer thrombotic complications of type II?

Despite the existence of several sensitive functional and antigen assays used for the diagnosis of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT), an additional assessment of the patient's hemostatic status, in order to predict the thrombotic complications of the malevolent HIT type II, has become necessary. Herein below, we present the findings of thromboelastography (TEG) in a post-cardiac-surgery patient with the clinical diagnosis of HIT type II and false negative tests for heparin antibodies. We have reached the conclusion that TEG may prove to be a useful supplementary method to predict those HIT patients who may suffer complications of HIT type II. (c) 2007 European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.