Abstract
Background. Trauma-induced coagulopathy is a common complication of severe polytrauma and may adversely affect the clinical course of traumatic brain injury. Early identification of the underlying hemostatic abnormalities is essential for selecting patient-oriented hemostatic and transfusion strategies.
Objective. To compare the diagnostic capabilities of standard coagulation tests and rotational thromboelastometry in patients with polytrauma complicated by traumatic brain injury.
Results. Standard coagulation tests assess individual components of plasma-based hemostasis, whereas ROTEM provides a dynamic a
ssessment of clot formation, clot strength, and fibrinolysis. The main ROTEM parameters include CT, CFT, MCF, FIBTEM, and LI30. Viscoelastic testing may be useful for the rapid functional assessment of hemostasis and for guiding targeted transfusion strategies.
Conclusions. ROTEM and standard coagulation tests are not fully interchangeable. In patients with polytrauma, these methods should be used in combination, taking into account the clinical presentation, severity of bleeding, and hemodynamic status.