This book is a rich source of information on point-of-care (POC) tests for the diagnosis and treatment of severe hemorrhage, including thromboelastography, thromboelastometry, heparin monitoring systems, and platelet function analyzers (Multiplate, PFA-100, VerifyNow, etc.). The opening chapters focus on the pathophysiology of coagulation and the general characteristics of POC devices. The relevance of POC tests in specific scenarios is then carefully explained, with guidance on their use in contexts including trauma, cardiovascular surgery, ECMO, liver surgery, postpartum hemorrhage, and disorders of hemostasis in the critically ill. An individual chapter is devoted to practical issues when applying POC tests, and the book closes by presenting a set of informative clinical cases. As POC devices gain increasing popularity as bedside diagnostic tools in different clinical settings, it is important for practitioners to understand their role and value. Point-of-Care Tests for Severe Hemorrhage will be a useful and reliable source of information for anesthesiologists, intensivists, cardiologists, and hematologists. |