An uncommon cause of postoperative bleeding.

Abstract

The postoperative phase can be associated with an increased risk of thrombosis and abnormal bleeding. We report the case of a patient admitted to our intensive care unit for postoperative monitoring who developed two episodes of hemorrhagic shock. A thromboelastogram performed with heparinase I digestion demonstrated the action of endogenous heparin-like substances whose presence was subsequently confirmed at the histological examination of the tumor. Heparinase-modified thromboelastography has proven to be an effective and rapid point-of-care coagulation test and in our case allowed early detection of circulating heparinoids.

• Authors: Giorgio Berlot, Fabiana Tartamella, Rossana Bussani, Michele C Vassallo, Sabina Gerebizza
• Journal: Blood coagulation & fibrinolysis : an international journal in haemostasis and thrombosis (Blood Coagul Fibrinolysis) Vol. 22 Issue 3 Pg. 231-3 (Apr 2011) ISSN: 1473-5733 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 21311320 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Heparinoids
• Heparin Lyase

Topics

• Aged
• Carcinoma, Papillary (pathology, surgery)
• Heparin Lyase (metabolism)
• Heparinoids (analysis, blood)
• Humans
• Kidney Neoplasms (pathology, surgery)
• Male
• Postoperative Hemorrhage (etiology)
• Thrombelastography (methods)