LETTER TO THE EDITOR Is it possible? Predicting complications and morbidity in surgical patients on clopidogrel therapy with Thrombelastography Platelet Mapping

We read with great interest the article by Hossain et al., in April 2013 ‘‘Is discontinuation of clopidogrel necessary for intracapsular hip fracture surgery? Analysis of 102 hemi-arthroplasties’’. An increasing number of patients present-ing for anesthesia are taking clopidogrel and an even greater number are on combination antiplatelet therapies, potentially increasing the risk of intraoperative and peri-operative bleeding. Hossain et al. [1] found no increase in complications or transfusions in patients with perioperative clopidogrel and those without. Collyer et al. [2], conducted a similar study on 114 patients receiving regular clopidogrel therapy and presenting for urgent hip fracture surgery. While an increased risk of requiring blood transfusion during or after surgery was noted in patients off clopidogrel for onl