[Anesthetic management of 52 deliveries in parturients with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura].
OBJECTIVE
To study the anesthetic management of parturients with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) which is a frequent cause of thrombocytopenia in pregnant women and may lead to a dilemma since a low platelet count usually dictates not to perform epidural anesthesia.


METHODS
We report a retrospective study assessing the anesthetic management of 39 parturients with ITP corresponding to 52 deliveries found in a database of 10,203 deliveries over a 52-month-period.


RESULTS
On the day of delivery, 32 parturients (61.5%) had a platelet count less than 100,000/mm(3) and 19 (36.5%) received a neuraxial block. Six parturients with a platelet count less than 100,000 mm(3) (19%) received neuraxial analgesia. The lowest platelet count among women who received epidural analgesia was 88,000/mm(3). No anesthetic or neurological complication occurred.


CONCLUSIONS
Regional anesthesia should not necessary be withheld in ITP when the platelet count is less than 100,000/mm(3).
Deruddre
S
S
Département d'anesthésie-réanimation, hôpital Antoine-Béclère, 157, rue de La-Porte-de-Trivaux, 92140 Clamart, France.
Peyrouset
O
O
Benhamou
D
D
D000328:Adult; D000773:Anesthesia, Obstetrical / Q000379:methods*; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010976:Platelet Count; D011247:Pregnancy; D011250:Pregnancy Complications, Hematologic; D016553:Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic / Q000150:complications*; D012189:Retrospective Studies