This site is intended for healthcare professionals

Go to /sign-in page

You can view 5 more pages before signing in

Thrombocytopaenia (dilutional)

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

Authoring team

Stored blood is subject to considerable loss of functional platelets and labile coagulation factors - e.g. Factors II, V and VII - but not fibrinogen or Factors II, VII, IX, X and XI.

Large volume transfusion of such blood may result in:

  • dilutional thrombocytopenia
  • disseminated intravascular coagulopathy - often attributed to the underlying or associated conditions
  • impaired platelet function

Laboratory investigations reveal:

  • increased PT, APTT, bleeding time
  • reduced plasma levels of fibrinogen, Factors V and VIII
  • thrombocytopenia

Management:

  • review patient's clinical condition; underlying disease; presence of anatomical bleeding lesions; results of coagulation tests
  • consider fresh frozen plasma - which contains the plasma proteins and labile clotting factors
  • consider cryoprecipitate - rich in Factor VIII and fibrinogen - especially if DIC is evident as fibrinogen is required in addition to clotting factors

Related pages

Create an account to add page annotations

Annotations allow you to add information to this page that would be handy to have on hand during a consultation. E.g. a website or number. This information will always show when you visit this page.