Thrombocytopenia in an established solitary pancreas graft recipient.
Isolated, life-threatening thrombocytopenia from a previously well tolerated pancreas allograft has not been reported in the literature. Herein we report such a case where a 31-year-old, Caucasian, Type I diabetic male developed severe thrombocytopenia 6 months following isolated pancreas transplantation and 2 wk after enteric conversion of the graft. Despite extensive diagnostic work-up, the cause remained unclear and his thrombocytopenia did not remit with standard treatment, but did resolve upon explantation. Pathologic examination of the pancreatic graft showed evidence of chronic rejection along with CMV pancreatitis. We conclude that unremitting isolated thrombocytopenia in solitary pancreas grafts may reflect a localized DIC phenomenon that requires graft explantation.
Benedetti
E
E
Department of Surgery, University of Illinois at Chicago 60612, USA.
Kirby
J P
JP
Asolati
M
M
Mihalov
M L
ML
Ghosh
L
L
Pollak
R
R
D000328:Adult; D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000473:pathology; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000601:surgery; D004211:Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation / Q000473:pathology; D004386:Duodenum / Q000601:surgery; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007082:Ileum / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D016035:Pancreas Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000473:pathology; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D012086:Reoperation; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000209:etiology*; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000601:surgery