title: Successful use of splenectomy in a patient with hepatitis C virus-related thrombocytopenia.
abstract: This case report describes a 44-year-old female with hepatitis C virus-related thrombocytopenia. The laboratory tests showed a platelet count of 3×10⁹/l, positive HCV serology and high serum concentration of HCV-RNA of 6.74×10⁶ copy/ml. She was refractory to standard therapies including corticosteroids, intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), thrombopoietin (TPO) and even interferon (IFN) regimens, due to the persistence of a low platelet count. At first, splenectomy was thought to be impossible, but then splenectomy was successfully performed and patient showed good tolerance and a constant normal platelet count after surgery. In conclusion, splenectomy is feasible in selected patients and may allow us to acquire a reasonable platelet count and completion of an anti-HCV protocol. Low platelet count itself should not be the contraindication of operation specifically for these patients. Further studies in larger numbers of patients and over a longer period of time are warranted.
authors.affiliation: Hangzhou First People's Hospital, Hangzhou, China. hxlsy2013@163.com.
authors.forename: Xilian
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Yaping
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Daquan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Pengfei
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Shenxian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Qian
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D010976:Platelet Count; D013156:Splenectomy / Q000379:methods*; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome