title: Desmopressin acetate in intracranial haemorrhage.
abstract: Introduction. The secondary increase in the size of intracranial haematomas as a result of spontaneous haemorrhage or trauma is of particular relevance in the event of prior intake of platelet aggregation inhibitors. We describe the effect of desmopressin acetate as a means of temporarily stabilising the platelet function. Patients and Methods. The platelet function was analysed in 10 patients who had received single (N = 4) or multiple (N = 6) doses of acetylsalicylic acid and 3 patients (control group) who had not taken acetylsalicylic acid. All subjects had suffered intracranial haemorrhage. Analysis was performed before, half an hour and three hours after administration of desmopressin acetate. Statistical analysis was performed by applying a level of significance of P ≤ 0.05. Results. (1) Platelet function returned to normal 30 minutes after administration of desmopressin acetate. (2) The platelet function worsened again after three hours. (3) There were no complications related to electrolytes or fluid balance. Conclusion. Desmopressin acetate can stabilise the platelet function in neurosurgical patients who have received acetylsalicylic acid prior to surgery without causing transfusion-related side effects or a loss of time. The effect is, however, limited and influenced by the frequency of drug intake. Further controls are needed in neurosurgical patients.
authors.affiliation: Neurochirurgische Klinik, Universitätsklinikum Ulm, Albert-Einstein-Allee 23, 89081 Ulm, Germany.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kapapa
authors.affiliation: Neurochirurgische Klinik, Universitätsklinikum Ulm, Albert-Einstein-Allee 23, 89081 Ulm, Germany.
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Röhrer
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Hämatologie, Onkologie, Immunologie, Palliativmedizin, Infektiologie und Tropenmedizin, Städtisches Klinikum München, Klinikum Schwabing, Kölner Platz 1, 80804 München, Germany.
authors.forename: Sabine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Struve
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Anästhesiologie, Abteilung Klinische Anästhesiologie, Albert-Einstein-Allee 23, 89081 Ulm, Germany.
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Petscher
authors.affiliation: Neurochirurgische Klinik, Universitätsklinikum Ulm, Albert-Einstein-Allee 23, 89081 Ulm, Germany.
authors.forename: Ralph
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: König
authors.affiliation: Neurochirurgische Klinik, Universitätsklinikum Ulm, Albert-Einstein-Allee 23, 89081 Ulm, Germany.
authors.forename: Christian Rainer
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Wirtz
authors.affiliation: Neurochirurgische Klinik, Klinikum Landshut, Robert-Koch-Strasse 1, 84034 Landshut, Germany.
authors.forename: Dieter
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Woischneck