Drug-induced immune-mediated thrombocytopenia in the intensive care unit.

A 62-year-old woman with prosthetic mitral valve was admitted for explant of an infected prosthetic knee. Perioperatively, she was bridged with heparin and started on empiric vancomycin and piperacillin-tazobactam. Platelet counts dropped precipitously within 2 days reaching a nadir of 6000/µL, without any bleeding. Decline persisted despite substituting heparin with bivalirudin. Antiplatelet factor 4 and anti-PLA1 antigen were negative. Schistocytes were absent. Antibiotics were substituted with daptomycin for suspected drug-induced thrombocytopenia. Pulse dose of intravenous immunoglobulin was initiated with rapid normalization of platelet count. She tested positive for IgG antiplatelet antibodies to vancomycin and piperacillin-tazobactam thereby confirming the diagnosis. Drug-induced immune-mediated thrombocytopenia is an underrecognized cause of thrombocytopenia in the intensive care units. Clinicians should be cognizant of this entity, and a definitive diagnosis should be sought if feasible.

Recent advances in perioperative anesthetic management update in the perioperative support of patients with septic shock and the effect on outcomes.

Septic shock during the perioperative period imparts significant challenges for anesthetic management. There is increasing support for standardization of care using evidence-based, international consensus guidelines, such as the Surviving Sepsis Campaign. This review will highlight practices in the supportive management relevant to the perioperative care of patients with severe sepsis or septic shock and their effect on clinical outcomes. It will address the epidemiological data of sepsis, the diagnostic criteria, and the role of routine, goal-directed hemodynamic resuscitation. Furthermore, it will review other options for support, including antibiotics, intensive insulin therapy, and intensive care sedation in this high risk patient population.