Coagulopathies – conditions in which the blood’s ability to form clots is impaired – occur in one quarter of patients at the intensive care unit, with often life-threatening consequences. They are caused by high blood loss or reactions following systemic shock, but also previous intake of anticoagulants. Hemostasis and wound closure are vitally important as soon as possible after injury. To counteract coagulopathies blood transfusion in high amounts used to be the treatment of choice. However, blood products are valuable (because essential for the treatment of certain pathologies) and may cause unwanted side effects.

Offering the best possible care for patients is the guiding principle of the AUVA. In collaboration with the LBI Trauma, the AUVA trauma clinic Salzburg achieved two ambitious objectives: to reduce the consumption of blood products while at the same time saving more lives. Through targeted treatment of coagulopathies the mortality rate among severely injured patients at the trauma clinic is 20 percent lower than expected regarding statistics derived from the German trauma registry. The hereby established treatment has already found its way into expert literature worldwide.

The ORF (Austrian Broadcasting Corporation) recently reported on this AUVA success story. With kind permission of the ORF the clip can be watched here: Weniger Tote durch bessere Blutgerinnung (Decreased death rate due to improved coagulation, German only)