An uncommon cause of postoperative bleeding

Blood Coagul Fibrinolysis. 2011 Apr;22(3):231-3. doi: 10.1097/MBC.0b013e328343f8d7.

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.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

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

Substances

  • Heparinoids
  • Heparin Lyase