Lack of pathologic clot lysis following gynecologic surgery

Blood samples from 34 patients who had been subjected to gynecologic surgery were studied to determine if increased fibrinolytic activity was present within the immediate postoperative period. As measured by the whole blood clot lysis time and the thrombin time, there is no change elicited in the fibrinolytic system within two hours after surgery. Any alteration in either the whole blood clot lysis time or the thrombin time in the postoperative period cannot be attributed to the procedure itself. There was a tendency toward delayed clot lysis in a small number of patients undergoing dilatation and curettage. However, this is of no clinical significance.