Bovine
thrombin-induced
factor V deficiency was though to be a very rare acquired coagulopathy, with only three documented cases. We report a series of nine patients seen during a period of 32 months; these patients had normal preoperative coagulation profiles, and this unique coagulopathy developed 1 to 2 weeks after cardiovascular operations. The coagulopathy was characterized by a markedly elevated prothrombin time (40.9 +/- 5.8 seconds), an elevated activated partial thromboplastin time (96.3 +/- 12.2 seconds), a study positive for lupus anticoagulation (9/9), and markedly decreased levels of
factor V (0.09 +/- 0.03 U/ml) and
factor XI (0.04 +/- 0.02 U/ml), respectively. All patients had been exposed to commercially available bovine
thrombin during prior cardiovascular or vascular operations and received a second bovine
thrombin challenge during the latest procedure. Coagulopathic
bleeding developed in four of the nine patients.
Bleeding was unrelated to absolute fall in
factor V level, but cessation of
hemorrhage appeared to correlate with improvement in
factor V level. Treatment with
vitamin K, fresh frozen plasma, and platelet infusion were all unsuccessful in altering prothrombin time or
factor V levels. Intravenous
gamma globulin was used in three patients, two of whom were
bleeding. All three patients showed a transient increase in
factor V levels.
Bleeding stopped in one of the two patients; the other continued to bleed and subsequently died. The third patient was treated prophylactically to increase
factor V levels in preparation for flap reconstruction of his sternum. His
factor V level increased from 0.26 to 0.49 U/ml, and he underwent the procedure without incident. Bovine
thrombin-induced
factor V deficiency may have been previously unrecognized. This deficiency should be suspected in patients who have undergone redo cardiovascular operations and in whom marked elevations in their prothrombin time occur 7 to 10 days after exposure to bovine
thrombin. The resulting coagulopathy, although usually self-limited, has the potential to produce devastating
bleeding complications. Intravenous
gamma globulin (1 gm/kg during each of 2 days) has been used to increase
factor V levels transiently but its role in
therapy of this coagulopathy requires further investigation.