[Unexpectedly prolonged thrombin time].

The thrombin time assay is able to detect abnormalities of the terminal phase of plasmatic coagulation. The differential diagnosis of thrombin time prolongation includes (1) inhibition of the added thrombin by exogenous heparin or endogenous heparin-like anticoagulant, seldom by acquired antibovine thrombin antibodies, (2) qualitative fibrinogen disorders (congenital and acquired dysfibrinogemia, (3) quantitative fibrinogen disorders (hypo- and afibrinogenemia), and (4) delayed fibrin polymerization due to fibrin/fibrinogen degradation products, paraproteins or seldom acquired antibodies against fibrinogen.