[White clot syndrome. Arterial and venous thromboses during heparin therapy with thrombopenia after bone surgery]

Abstract

The authors observed 9 patients submitted to prophylactic treatment with adequately doses subcutaneous heparin, for orthopaedic or traumatic surgery (chiefly total hip arthroplasty) who presented between the 7 and 9 day after starting heparin therapy, thrombotic complications including recurrent arterial occlusions and venous thrombosis associated with a profound thrombocytopenia, with a maximum platelet count below 30,000 per cubic millimeter. A rapid increase of platelet count after heparin withdrawal is observed, and the profound thrombocytopenia seems to be immune mediated with heparin dependent platelet antibodies, in most of the reported cases. We propose a platelet count for all surgical patients with heparin therapy, and if a thrombocytopenia appears, with a platelet count in the range of: 80,000 clinical inspection and platelet aggregation investigations, and immediate cessation of heparin therapy at 30,000 platelets/mm3.