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Co‐existence of heparin‐induced thrombocytopenia and thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura in a postoperative cardiac surgery patient
Author(s) -
Benke Stanley,
Moltzan Catherine
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
american journal of hematology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.456
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1096-8652
pISSN - 0361-8609
DOI - 10.1002/ajh.20436
Subject(s) - medicine , heparin induced thrombocytopenia , heparin , thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura , cardiac surgery , coronary artery bypass surgery , platelet , artery , cardiology , population , thrombocytopenic purpura , purpura (gastropod) , surgery , ecology , environmental health , biology
Up to 50% of patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery will develop antibodies against the heparin–platelet factor 4 complex, and a small percentage of those will go on to develop heparin‐induced thrombocytopenia. Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura has also been reported post‐coronary artery bypass surgery. In this case report, we describe a patient who developed both heparin‐induced thrombocytopenia and thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura post‐coronary artery bypass surgery. This patient had clinical features consistent with both entities, and the clinical picture could not be explained by either heparin‐induced thrombocytopenia or thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura alone. It is hypothesized that these two entities may be related in this patient population, and this case report emphasizes the challenges in the diagnosis of thrombocytopenia in this patient population. Am. J. Hematol. 80:288–291, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.