Chronic myelocytic leukemia with near-total pulmonary microvascular obstruction by platelets

Abstract

We have described a patient with long-standing chronic granulocytic leukemia. Although most patients with this disorder eventually have a picture of acute leukemia (blast crisis), this patient had massive thrombocytosis (platelet count greater than 5.000 x 10(9)/L) without major symptoms, but he died after transfusion of 1 unit of packed red blood cells. At autopsy, he had almost total pulmonary microvascular blockage with platelets.