INSTRUMENTATION AND METHOD FOR EVALUATING CLOT ELASTIC MODULUS, FORCE DEVELOPMENT AND ERYTHROCYTE FLEXIBILITY DURING CLOTTING AND DISSOLUTION

摘要

Intermittent application and removal of a compressive force on a blood sample(8) positioned between a pair of plates (12and 14) throughout clot formation and dissolution provides a standard forusing voltage output from a transducer (22) todetermine force and elastic modulus parameters. Force development arises fromthe internal actions of the platelets during clotretraction. Elastic modulus provides a measure of the stiffness of the clot.Clotting can be measured as an increase in forcedevelopment and clot elastic modulus. Clot dissolution can be determined by adramatic decrease in force development and in elasticmodulus. Providing the blood sample with a clot dissolving agent such as tPAallows determining the fibrinolytic potential ofwhole blood and, thus, aids in identifying patients at risk for thrombosis dueto a decreased ability to dissolve clots. Clot elasticmodulus provides a measure of erythrocyte flexibility.