Coagulation and Blood Transfusion

While the enzyme cascade that allows coagulation is well known physiologically, its elegant practical examples are vividly demonstrable in the clinical application of blood and components for the treatment of bleeding problems in surgery, trauma or in congenital deficiency in patients. This volume provides the fundamental and recent understanding relating to coagulation pathways, recombinant technology and other methods for coagulation factor production, up to date laboratory assay, preservation of cellular and plasma components, and their clinical use in surgery and medicine, including the immuno response to repeated challenge to contaminating protein in coagulation factor concentrates. The interrelated but multi-disciplinary chapters have been integrated in four sections: Principles and Fundamentals: Mechanism of thrombin formation; structure -- function relationship of coagulation proteins, role of calcium and anticoagulant: blood collection on haemostatic potential of plasma proteins and platelets; Factor VIII yields from anticoagulant exchanged plasma. Preservation Aspects: Platelet function preservation, platelet interaction with vessel wall; trends in the use of coagulation factor concentrate; immuno purification of Factor VIII; structural and fundamental properties of recombinant coagulation factors. Laboratory Aspects: Platelets counting and function testing; platelet crossmatch predictive value; clinical efficacy of platelet concentrate; protein C and protein S; principle of coagulation factor assay; standardisation of clotting factor assays; clinical efficacy of clotting factor concentrates. Clinical Consequences