Scientists at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) have developed a device that measures coagulation parameters within a sample of clotting blood. Dr. Charles S. Cox, Jr, Dr. Brijesh Gill, and Kevin Aroom, scientists at UTHealth developed the device to allow the administration of bedside coagulation tests and reduce unnecessary blood transfusions. The device referred to as “MEMS Based Blood Coagulometer” is available for licensing.
The field of thromboelastography includes various ways to test the efficiency of coagulation in the blood. Measuring coagulation is vital in both a surgical and anesthesiological settings to diagnose and assess bleeding disorders, like hemophilia and Von Willebrand disease. In addition, measuring blood coagulation is important when monitoring patients who are currently taking anticoagulation medicines like aspirin, heparin, and warfarin.
U.S. hospitals use more than 14 million units of red blood cells per year with blood use rising 40 percent between 1994 and 2008. This has resulted in reducing the need for unnecessary blood transfusions by being able to more accurately predict blood product supplementation.
Twelve million patients receive heparin each year, over 31 million patients receive warfarin each year, and Americans use more than 50 billion aspirin tablets annually. These blood disorders, along with the widely used anticoagulants illustrate the diverse need for accurate coagulation testing.
For information, contact Christine Flynn, Assistant Director for New Venture Development at Christine.Flynn@uth.tmc.edu.