THROMBIN TIME (O.S)

Overview

Thrombin catalyzes the transformation of fibrinogen to fibrin which is followed by polymerization of fibrin to form a clot. The thrombin time (TT) test measures the time of clot formation when thrombin is added to citrated plasma .Prolongation of the thrombin time (TT) is consistent with the presence of heparin-like anticoagulants, hypofibrinogenemia, dysfibrinogenemia, fibrin degradation products, and antibody inhibitors of thrombin. An immeasurably prolonged TT is usually the result of heparin in the specimen or, rarely, the presence of thrombin antibodies or afibrinogenemia.