Background: We investigated the effect of irrigation fluid on coagulation according to the hemodilution level using rotational thromboelastometry (ROTEM).
Methods: Venous blood was taken from 12 healthy volunteers and divided into four specimen tubes that were diluted to various levels (0%, 10%, 20%, and 40%) using an irrigation fluid composed of 2.7% sorbitol and 0.54% mannitol.
Results: Significant prolongation of clotting time was observed in the 40% diluted sample using both INTEM (P = 0.009) and EXTEM (P = 0.001) assays. However, the clot formation time was prolonged significantly in the 10%, 20%, and 40% diluted samples using both INTEM (P < 0.001) and EXTEM (P = 0.002, P < 0.001, and P < 0.001, respectively) assays. A significant decrease of α-angle of INTEM and EXTEM were observed in the 10% (P < 0.001), 20% (P < 0.001 and P = 0.001, respectively), and 40% (P < 0.001) groups compared with the 0% dilution group. The maximum clot firmness (MCF) of INTEM decreased significantly in the 20% (P < 0.001) and 40% (P < 0.001) diluted samples. In the MCF of EXTEM and FIBTEM assays, 10% (P = 0.009 and P = 0.015, respectively), 20% (P = 0.001), and 40% (P < 0.001) samples showed a significant decrease compared with the 0% sample. Nevertheless, most of the ROTEM values were within the reference range, except the 40% sample.
Conclusions: Blood became hypocoagulable when it was diluted in vitro with a fluid composed of 2.7% sorbitol and 0.54% mannitol.
Keywords: Blood coagulation; Hemodilution; Irrigation fluid; Rotational thromboelastometry.