Thromboelastograms

[SMILLER]

Does anyone have any experience with implementing TEGs? We have a trauma doc that would like to see them being put into use here at our mid-sized L2 trauma hospital. I know that some places that use them have gone back and forth a bit over how they are used and whether they are run out of the Lab or ER/OR.

Supposedly if used appropriately, there is less waste of blood products for traumas and some surgeries when compared to relying on more routine coagulation testing. Has anyone documented a cost benefit?

Thanks, Scott

[Joseph]

I set up two TEGs about 18 months ago. We have saved a bundle on blood products predominately for CABG surgeries. We operate them out of blood bank/hematology.

[BenchTech]

We have 4 TEGS, 2 run in Hematology (for Plavix monitoring) in the lab and 2 run by our Perfusion department in the CVOR. They have had TEGs at the facility for about 6-8 years?? Long before I joined. They went a long way to reducing the amount of product that was transfused during CABGs and other cardiac surgeries. I don't know about their use in Trauma it is not a quick test by any means taking about 1.5 hours to run a Plavix profile and I would estimate at least 45 minutes for a basic TEG (this is once we get the specimen). It is a fascinating instrument but not an easy test by any means. It is time consuming to set up and not conducive to multitasking.

[marlak]

We have just brought two TEGs into the Blood Bank for our Liver Transplant Program and need to establish a checklist/testing for CAP's Comparability Instrument/Method requirements. I'd like to know what you have done in your hospitals.

[eric1980]

I wonder what are my chances of convincing my lab to bring in TEGs.