Prof. M. Frojmovic presented a brief overview of biorheological issues in the design of flow devices for clinical monitoring of thrombosis and coagulation. This served as an introduction for discussion of clinical devices. Prof. D. Gabriel presented a brief overview of the clinical issues in monitoring of the thrombotic state, also as an introduction for discussion of clinical devices. Prof. Marc Hoylaerts presented experience in the use of rectangular capillaries for the study of platelet deposition. Protein is deposited, the free surface is blocked, platelets are perfused, fixative is perfused, and then staining is performed.
Quantification is performed by microscopy.
Prof. Y. Ikeda presented experience in the use of the quartz crystal microbalance in the study of platelet deposition on protein-coated surfaces. It was observed that the standard calibration equations that are employed for molecular overlayers are not appropriate for cellular overlayers, due to the viscoelasticity of the cellular overlayer. Nevertheless, the results could be quantitatively analyzed to provide real-time measurements of platelet deposition under various pathological conditions. Dr. E. Heilman, from Dade-Behring, gave an overview on the PFA 100 instrument, which is based on the closure of a capillary with a collagen coating. The instrument is now used clinically to diagnose Glanzmann's thrombosthemia, von Willebrand's disease, and aspirin-induced bleeding.