TEG or ROTEM

[Mabel Adams]

I would like to connect with other sites where the Lab has some role in the use of their TEG or ROTEM machines.  I would also like a ballpark estimate of what they cost per machine.  Thanks for any help.

[Eagle Eye]

Is anyone using TEG for MTP cases?

[stradfam]

We are looking at the TEG and ROTEM too. We are a Level 1 trauma center.  Please advise.

[Mabel Adams]

We want to get it for our massive transfusion cases.  We are a pretty isolated 261 bed community hospital and level 2 trauma center.  Our Trauma Committee and Transfusion Committee want it.  We need to be able to use it in OR, ED, ICU and probably OB occasionally.  They might want to use it on heart surgeries.  I also think it could have a role in testing a patient's response to Plavix.  I haven't been able to determine if it could provide the same info as platelet aggregation for the rare patient needing that test but it seems like it would be good if it could.  One of the vendor's website claimed to have a test for direct thrombin inhibitor compliance.  I've seen very little on the ROTEM instrument; seems like all the recent MTP articles show the TEG tracings.

[Andersli]

My facility is also looking at TEG and ROTEM.  Our trauma program is relatively new (Nov 2011) and as we bring in more trauma surgeons they are pushing for one of these.  It has been mentioned that our CVOR program actually purchased TEG many years ago but never put it into use as it was difficult to interpret at that time.  Our trauma committee is in the process of setting up some inservices to see which one may be more feasible for our program.

[Gkloc]

We use the TEG here at our facility for Cardiac surgeries.  Our POC coordinator is in charge of the device, but the perfusionist use it in the OR since they can take the blood right from the line and place it right away on the TEG.  If the lab were to do it, the blood needs to be collected in a blue top tube and would have to be delivered to the lab within 3 minutes to run it.  I also found out another function the TEG can do is platelet mapping which they are talking about possibly doing now as well.  We are not currently a trauma center but will be in the future and that has come up with having a TEG for that when we do.