ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Thrombosis resulting from heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) occurs in about 2% of patients without a significant decrease in platelet counts. We report on such a near fatal thrombotic event caused by coronary intervention. CASE PRESENTATION: A supposedly "completely healthy" 53-year-old patient was admitted to hospital with covered rupture of an aneurysm of the Aorta descendens. He was successfully operated on and underwent coronary angiography due to NSTEMI six days later. Immediately after intervention of a 90% RCX stenosis he developed ventricular flutter, was defibrillated, and re-angiography showed partial occlusion of the RCX stent. Lots of white thrombi could be retrieved by aspiration catheter and gave reason for a HIT without thrombocytopenia. The detection of platelet factor 4/heparin complex antibodies by immunoassay supported and the subsequent Heparin Induced Platelet Activation Assay proved this diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: The clinical event of an acute stent thrombosis should alarm the interventional team to the diagnosis of HIT even with a normal platelet count.
Subject(s)
Aneurysm, Ruptured/surgery , Anticoagulants/adverse effects , Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic/surgery , Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation , Coronary Aneurysm/therapy , Coronary Stenosis/therapy , Coronary Thrombosis/etiology , Heparin/adverse effects , Percutaneous Coronary Intervention/adverse effects , Thrombocytopenia/chemically induced , Aneurysm, Ruptured/diagnostic imaging , Anticoagulants/administration & dosage , Anticoagulants/immunology , Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic/diagnostic imaging , Autoantibodies/blood , Coronary Aneurysm/complications , Coronary Aneurysm/diagnostic imaging , Coronary Stenosis/diagnostic imaging , Coronary Stenosis/etiology , Coronary Thrombosis/diagnostic imaging , Coronary Thrombosis/therapy , Drug-Eluting Stents , Heparin/administration & dosage , Heparin/immunology , Humans , Middle Aged , Percutaneous Coronary Intervention/instrumentation , Platelet Factor 4/immunology , Risk Factors , Thrombectomy , Thrombocytopenia/blood , Thrombocytopenia/diagnosis , Thrombocytopenia/immunology , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
Pseudocholinesterase or butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) inactivates the relaxant drugs mivacurium and suxamethonium. A deficiency in plasma activity of this enzyme may result in prolonged muscular paralysis and subsequently the need for an extended duration of mechanical ventilation. We report the case of a 65-year-old patient who was diagnosed with butyrylcholinesterase deficiency for the first time during elective surgery. Neuromuscular monitoring constitutes a central diagnostic asset in ensuring patient safety.
