Last update:
02-Jun-2020

Neonates comprise a group of patients with several particularities, amongst which is that of hemostasis. Healthy newborn infants are not vulnerable to either thrombosis or hemorrhage, although abnormalities in the standard coagulation tests are common within the neonatal population. This delicate balance, however, is easily disturbed in critically ill neonates, when the risk of a threatening hemorrhage increases. Thromboelastography (TEG) is an assay of global hemostasis which takes place in real time, the first results of which are available within 10 minutes of test initiation and can be observed on a bedside monitor (point of care). TEG is an appealing alternative to conventional tests, which are not totally representative in neonatal patients. Whereas literature on the use of thromboelastometry (TEM) in adults and children is abundant, studies on TEG/TEM use in neonates have been rare. A recent surge of interest is apparent in TEG/TEM use, increasingly focused on the neonatal population, with the aim of establishing reference values for this specific age group and evaluating the validity of TEG/TEM in providing early diagnosis in various neonatal morbidities. It is still to be determined if this point of care method can justifiably claim a routine role in the neonatal intensive care unit (ICU).

Key words: Hemostasis, Neonates, Neonatology, Thromboelastography, Thromboelastometry.