Pre-operative Therapeutic Plasma Exchange and Intravenous Immune Globulin for the treatment of Heparin Induced Thrombocytopenia in a lung transplant recipient

Lung transplantation surgery often relies on the use of intraoperative extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and necessitates the need for high dose anticoagulation. Heparin induced thrombocytopenia complicates intraoperative anticoagulation management during lung transplant surgery requiring ECMO. Though other anticoagulants such as argatroban and bivalrudin are utilized for the treatment of Heparin Induced Thrombocytopenia (HIT), the lack of reversal agents makes it difficult to use these agents intraoperatively in cases with high bleeding risk.
Source: Transfusion and Apheresis Science - Category: Hematology Authors: Source Type: research