Control of hemorrhage

Abstract

1. 1. A very careful clinical examination should be made, supplemented with general physical examination and laboratory tests, where necessary, in order to make a correct differential diagnosis. 2. 2. Wherever there is a systemic disorder, the aid of the attending physician should be sought in order to correct any abnormality before surgery. 3. 3. If bleeding or clotting time is at all abnormally high, an attempt should be made to correct this before surgery. 4. 4. Where the patient gives a history of previous bleeding, careful attention to diagnosis and prevention should be carried out. Very little dependence should be placed upon the usual types of remedies, such as calcium lactate, calcium gluconate, gelatin, and many of the proprietary preparations. 5. 5. Compound tannic acid solution is the best agent for local use in the mouth. 6. 6. There seems to be much merit in the use of citrus fruit and juice to provide vitamin P with which to correct capillary fragility. 7. 7. Vitamin K is beneficial in cases of biliary deficiencies and in hemorrhagic diseases of the newborn. 8. 8. Koagamin has proved very beneficial in many cases. 9. 9. The one great method upon which all surgeons depend, in the final analysis, is transfusion, which is prescribed 250 c.c. repeated where necessary and in some cases 500 c.c. This is usually a postoperative measure, but in extreme cases may be used as a preoperative measure.