White clot syndrome

Thrombocytopenia develops in about 5% of all pa­tients treated with heparin, usually 6 to 13 days after initiation of therapy. 1,2 Some patients with heparin­induced thrombocytopenia progress further to para­doxical thrombosis. 1,3,4 ln these patients, pathologic examination always shows that the thrombi consist of platelet aggregates and are white. Therefore, they are called platelet thrombi, or white clots, 1,3 giving rise to the name white clot syndrome. The clinical course of this condition is life-threatening, and early recognition is of paramount importance for а favoraЫe outcome.