title: Heparin induced thrombocytopenia causing life-threatening postoperative haemorrhage.
abstract: Heparin is ubiquitously employed in surgery in the prevention and treatment of thromboembolic disorders. A small but significant number of patients receiving heparin develop thrombocytopenia and are at risk of both serious thromboembolic disease and haemorrhage. A case is reported where a young woman developed life-threatening postoperative haemorrhage associated with heparin induced thrombocytopenia (HIT).
authors.affiliation: Mater Hospital Trust, Belfast.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rice
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dace
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: McMullin
authors.forename: W D
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Clements
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006493:Heparin / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D019106:Postoperative Hemorrhage / Q000139:chemically induced*; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000139:chemically induced*
chemical_list: D006493:Heparin