Defibrination Syndrome Followed by Hypercoagulable State

Summary

A 37-year-old woman developed an acute defibrination syndrome with peripheral vascular collapse and a renal shut-down following an operation for uterine prolapse. The bleeding tendency was controlled by treatment with blood, Cohn’s fraction I and EACA. During the period when the levels of the clotting factors reached a peak, the patient developed multiple pulmonary emboli. The patient recovered following administration of heparin and antibiotics. The connection between the defibrination syndrome and the subsequent hypercoagulable state is discussed with special mention of the possible role of therapy - mainly EACA - in the production of the latter. The levels of the various clotting factors were very low at the time of the bleeding, but rose to abnormally high values within the ensuing 8 to 10 days.

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