Affiliations: Department of Anaesthesiology, Rabin Medical Center, Golda Campus (Hasharon), Petah Tiqva and The Sackler School of Medicine, Tel‐Aviv University Ramat Aviv, Israel | Laboratory for Immunology and Hematology Research, Rabin Medical Center, Golda Campus (Hasharon), Petah Tiqva and The Sackler School of Medicine, Tel‐Aviv University Ramat Aviv, Israel
Note: [] Corresponding author: Dr. Benzion Beilin, Department of Anesthesia, Rabin Medical Center, Golda Campus (Hasharon), 7, Keren Kayemet St., Petah Tiqva 47372, Israel. Tel.: +972 3 9372469; Fax: +972 3 9372470; E‐mail: beilinb@clalit.org.il.
Abstract: Laparoscopic surgery has become a widely used procedure with many advantages compared to conventional laparotomy. Although rare, this technique is not entirely absent from clinical hazards and particularly thromboembolic events. This complication is due to activation of the coagulation cascade, as well as factors that may cause alterations in blood rheology. Apart from high hematocrit, presence of abnormal proteins and elevated fibrinogen level, the type of anesthesia, temperature, and increased intra‐abdominal pressure following CO2 insufflation may affect blood viscosity. Therefore, the objective of the study was to compare rheological events in 17 patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery to those in 15 patients who underwent laparotomy. Both groups of patients did not show any complications during the early and late post‐operative period. The values of whole blood viscosity in patients undergoing laparoscopy did not differ from those in patients treated by laparotomy. A slight, although significant decrease in plasma viscosity and red blood cell aggregation was observed in patients who underwent laparotomy. The results suggest that the benefits of laparoscopic surgery in the present series were not affected by alterations in blood and plasma viscosity, as well as in red blood cell aggregation.
