Nerve location in regional anaesthesia: finding what lies beneath the skin.

by a haematologist before any surgery or invasive procedure. † Patients with acute illnesses such as sepsis or conditions that can be associated with a coagulopathy such as chronic liver disease. † Patients on some anticoagulants. As anticoagulants, but not necessarily antiplatelet drugs, 18 are stopped before operation for elective surgery, coagulation testing should only be required for emergency surgery. When surgery is performed on anticoagulated patients, appropriate testing can be useful in excluding over-anticoagulation at the time of surgery. References 1 Fukutake K. Current status of hemophilia patients and recombi-nant coagulation factor concentrates in Japan. The rare coagu-lation disorders—review with guidelines for management from the United Kingdom Haemophilia Centre Doctors' Organisation. The prevalence of moderate and severe FXII (Hageman factor) deficiency among the normal population: evaluation of the incidence of FXII deficiency among 300 healthy blood donors. Prevalence of factor XII (Hageman factor) deficiency among 426 patients with coronary heart disease awaiting cardiac surgery. Paucity of studies to support that abnormal coagulation test results predict bleeding in the setting of invasive procedures: an evidence-based review. A practical concept for preoperative identification for patients with impaired primary hemostasis. A quantitative analysis of bleeding symptoms in type 1 von Willebrand disease: results from a multicenter European study (MCMDM-1 VWD). Dabigatran etexilate—a novel, reversible, oral direct thrombin inhibitor: interpretation of coagulation assays and reversal of anticoagulant activity. Laboratory assessment and perioperative management of patients on antiplatelet therapy: from bench to bedside. therapy: the case for continuing therapy in patients at risk for myocardial infarction.