Platelet Transfusions in the Surgical Management of Thrombocytopenic Patients

Surgical procedures may be complicated by pre-existing platelet deficiency or by postoperative conditions associated with decreased platelet levels.Severe infections, massive transfusions, and shock may account for postoperative thrombocytopenia.Meticulous surgical hemostasis, transfusions of fresh whole blood and other supportive measures often permit uncomplicated surgery in patients with reduced platelets.Control of the thrombocytopenia with platelet transfusions may, however, simplify their Minor and Burnett' transfused concentrated human platelets in 1951.During the following decade, Sidney Farber and his associates',"' and more recently, Freireich et aL3 demonstrated that platelet transfusions are a safe, effective, and practical means for the control of bleeding due to thrombocytopenia in malignant disorders.These studies have encouraged the use of platelet transfusions in a variety of disorders associated with inadequate number of platelets.The administration of platelets as a routine adjunct to the surgical and associated medical management of patients with thrombocytopenia is presented here.-Emergency Surgery Case G. T.: A newborn baby boy admitted a t the age of six days because of increasing head circumference and vomiting.He was delivered by Caesarean section because of failure of the head to engage (hydrocephalus).Immediately after delivery an abrasion of the scalp oozed for approximately two hours.Numerous petechiae were present on the face.On admission,