Severe preeclampsia with persistent postpartum hemolysis and thrombocytopenia treated by plasmapheresis

Abstract

A case of severe preeclampsia in which hemolysis and rapid platelet consumption persisted after delivery, but in which the blood urea nitrogen and serum glutamic oxaloacetic acid transaminase levels returned to normal is presented. Antiplatelet aggregating medications and exchange plasmapheresis with fresh frozen plasma were begun on the eighth postpartum day, but the hemolysis and rapid platelet consumption did not begin to improve until the 12th postpartum day. The use of plasmapheresis in highly selected cases of severe preeclampsia with hemolysis and thrombocytopenia that do not resolve after delivery is discussed.