Postoperative labs in tamponade may show which change?

• A. Platelets increased
• B. Sodium decreased
• C. White blood cell count decreased
• D. Hemoglobin and hematocrit decreased

Answer: (D)

Postoperative tamponade from bleeding means blood is accumulating in the pericardial space, often from surgical bleeding. When there’s ongoing blood loss, the circulating red cell mass drops, so hemoglobin and hematocrit fall. This is a direct reflection of blood loss and the body's response after surgery. The other changes aren’t as characteristic: platelets aren’t specifically rising in tamponade from surgical bleeding, white blood cell counts typically don’t decrease and may actually rise with inflammation, and sodium changes aren’t a hallmark finding of tamponade. So a drop in hemoglobin and hematocrit best indicates this postoperative bleeding complication.