Successful management of chronic refractory immune thrombocytopenia with laparoscopic splenectomy in a patient with acute promyelocytic leukemia.

ABSTRACT

Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) is a particular type of acute myeloid leukemia with characteristic biological and clinical features, the frequent association at diagnosis of a severe hemorrhagic diathesis. Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is a common autoimmune disease characterized by low platelet counts and an increased risk of bleeding. Here we present a patient with the diagnosis of APL who achieved and maintained a remission with an induction consisting of idarubicin and ATRA, and then developed corticosteroid refractory ITP which is successfully treated with laparoscopic splenectomy.