The TEG® vs the ROTEM® thromboelastography/thromboelastometry systems

Jackson, G. N. B.
Ashpole, K. J.
Yentis, S. M.

¹Fellow, ²Locum Consultant, ³Consultant, Magill Department of Anaesthesia, Intensive Care & Pain Management, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, London, UK

Correspondence to: Dr Keri Ashpole. E-mail: [email protected]

Editorial note: This is the first in what we hope will be a regular feature in Anaesthesia, in which two or more pieces of equipment are compared alongside each other, from the point of view of the practical user. We welcome submissions on other equipment/apparatus, following a similar format to that below; please title your manuscript ‘Head-to-head’. All submitted manuscripts will undergo the same review process as for other articles submitted to Anaesthesia.

Accepted: 16 September 2008

Anaesthesia 64(2):p 212-215, February 2009.

Summary

We have evaluated the TEG® thromboelastograph and the ROTEM® thromboelastometer, two point-of-care devices that measure blood coagulation. During a one-week period, seven consultant anaesthetists, one consultant haematologist, one associate specialist anaesthetist and two senior trainee anaesthetists were trained by the manufacturers and set up, calibrated and used both systems, after which their views were obtained and specific technical/support information was sought from the manufacturers using a questionnaire. Although the devices shared common features, they differed in complexity and aspects of ease of use, and in their purchase and running costs.