TRAUMA-INDUCED COAGULOPATHY: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Authors: Buzzard, L; Schreiber, M

Affiliations: University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI. Oregon Health and Science University Department of Surgery, Portland, OR.

Publication: The journal of trauma and acute care surgery. 2023

ABSTRACT: Trauma-induced coagulopathy (TIC) is a global inflammatory state accompanied by coagulation derangements, acidemia, and hypothermia, that occurs after traumatic injury. It occurs in approximately 25% of severely injured patients, and its incidence is directly related to injury severity. The mechanism of TIC is multi-faceted; proposed contributing factors include dysregulation of activated protein C, increased tPA, systemic endothelial activation, decreased fibrinogen, clotting factor consumption, and platelet dysfunction. Effects of TIC include systemic inflammation, coagulation derangements, acidemia, and hypothermia. TIC may be diagnosed by conventional coagulation tests including platelet count, Clauss assay, INR, thrombin time, PT, and aPTT; viscoelastic hemostatic assays such as thrombelastography (TEG) and rotational thrombelastography (ROTEM), or by a clinical scoring system known as the Trauma Induced Coagulopathy Clinical Score (TICCS). Preventing TIC begins in the prehospital phase with early hemorrhage control, blood product resuscitation, and TXA therapy. Early administration of prothrombin complex concentrate (PCC) is also being studied in the prehospital environment. The mainstays of TIC treatment include hemorrhage control, blood and component transfusions, and correction of abnormalities such as hypocalcemia, acidosis, and hypothermia.