Microfluidic technology as an emerging clinical tool to evaluate thrombosis and hemostasis

•Microfluidic technologies have been evolving over the last sixty years•Microfluidic devices allow platelet and coagulation analysis under flow conditions•Other advantages include low blood volume requirements and multiple output options•Microfluidic assays can aid in monitoring patient-specific drug effects and dosing•Continued adaptations are needed to optimize these assays for routine clinical use

Assessment of platelet function and coagulation under flow conditions can augment traditional static assays used to evaluate patients with suspected hemostatic or thrombotic disorders. Among the available flow-based assays, microfluidic devices require the smallest blood volume and provide multiple output options. These assays are based on the presence of wall shear stress that mimics in vivo interactions between blood components and vessel walls. Microfluidic devices can generate essential information regarding homeostatic regulation of platelet activation and subsequent engagement of the coagulation cascade leading to fibrin deposition and clot formation. Emerging data suggest that microfluidic assays may also reveal consistent patterns of hemostatic or thrombotic pathology, and could aid in assessing and monitoring patient-specific effects of coagulation-modifying therapies.