ROTEM® sigma

ROTEM sigma is an easy-to-use thromboelastometry (viscoelastic testing) system, which provides fast results at the point of care to guide bleeding management and reduce inappropriate blood transfusions. From cardiovascular surgery to trauma, the system is used to assess critical bleeding situations.

TEMograms provide real-time clinical information, allowing clinicians to optimise haemostasis while reducing blood loss and exposure to blood products — key objectives of Patient Blood Management (PBM) programmes. Viscoelastic testing is an essential component of PBM, recommended in important clinical guidelines and by the European Commission to support individualised transfusion decisions.

Fast clinical decisions

• First results in less than 10 minutes; actionable results, including amplitude information, in less than 15 minutes (TEMograms start at ~8 minutes).
• Much faster clinical decisions than traditional methods — with no sample incubation time and using rapid activators.
• Heparin neutralisation allows testing during cardiopulmonary bypass.
• Real-time (“live”) visualisation options for immediate diagnosis.

Easy to use

• Fully automated cartridge system, with direct sampling from a closed tube — eliminates sample pipetting.
• Cartridges storable at room temperature, without refrigeration, for rapid use at the POC.
• Intuitive touchscreen interface; automatic test initiation upon sample insertion.
• Less than 2 minutes of operator activity — practically eliminates operator-induced errors.

Accurate and reproducible results

• Integrated quality control (QC) at the POC, with continuous internal system monitoring.
• Reduced user interaction, for more consistent results.
• Constant reagent and sample volumes; barcode labelling for immediate identification in the system.

Improved interpretation with TEMograms

The large, easy-to-read TEMograms provide a clearer picture of coagulopathy: assessment of clot firmness and stability at a glance. Four independent channels allow the differential diagnosis of coagulopathy, and the ongoing results can be compared with reference curves through profile and patient overlays.

TEMogram parameters

CT	Clot Time — the clot initiation time
A(x)	Amplitude at x minutes after CT
MCF	Maximum Clot Firmness
LI(x)	Lysis index at x minutes after CT
ML	Maximum Lysis

Test menu — ROTEM sigma cartridges

The fully automated cartridge system includes integrated reagents, closed-tube sampling and the “cup and pin” principle. Available in the ROTEM sigma complete and ROTEM sigma complete + hep configurations.

Test	Analytical principle	Heparin neutralisation*
EXTEM C	Assessment of coagulation via the extrinsic pathway	up to 5 U/mL
INTEM C	Assessment of coagulation via the intrinsic pathway	sensitive to heparin
FIBTEM C	Assessment of coagulation via the extrinsic pathway, after blocking the platelet contribution to clot firmness	up to 5 U/mL
HEPTEM C	Assessment of coagulation via the intrinsic pathway, after inactivating heparin	up to 7 U/mL (cardiovascular surgery)
APTEM C	Assessment of coagulation via the extrinsic pathway, after blocking fibrinolysis	up to 5 U/mL (trauma scenarios)

*Unfractionated heparin.