Abstract
The influence of haemorrhage and blood transfusion on primary haemostasis,coagulation and fibrinolysis was investigated in rabbits. Acute loss of 20% of the blood volume gave a significantly shortened coagulation time (Lee-White method)but no detectable change in fibrinolysis (euglobulin clot lysis time) and primary haemostasis (primary haemostatic plug formation time in transected arterioles in rabbit mesenteric microcirculation). Acute loss of 20% of blood volume followed by blood transfusion resulted in a prolonged coagulation time and also in a prolonged primary haemostatic plug formation time, but no change in fibrinolysis. It could be concluded that the haemorrhage did not affect the plateletdependent primary haemostasis but resulted in a shortened coagulation time. Blood transfusion seemed to affect adversely both the primary haemostasis and the shortened coagulation time induced by haemorrhage.