The effects of Arvin and surgery on red cell filterability

Abstract

Arvin (ancrod) treatment is generally recognized to lower fibrinogen levels and is sometimes used to decrease plasma and whole blood viscosity. The fall in fibrinogen is accompanied by a rise in fibrinogen degradation products (FDP), but none of the other clotting factors is affected. This study shows that patients undergoing surgery with subsequent Arvin tereatment decrease their red cell filterability (RCF), and that this drop cannot be explained by either the surgical intervention, a direct effect of Arvin on the red cells, or the lowered fibrinogen levels. However the decrease of RCF does correlate with the rise in FDP.

Key Words:

• defibrinogenating enzyme
• fibrinogen
• fibrinogen degradation products
• haemorheology
• total hip replacement