The role of antithrombin and thromboelastography in the management of early disseminated intravascular coagulopathy following peripartum hysterectomy
Abstract
Disseminated intravascular coagulopathy is a life threatening condition, which can develop after hysterectomy performed because of peripartum life threatening bleeding in pregnant women. We present a case report where the laboratory and thromboelastography results indicating consumptive coagulopathy improved after the administration of antithrombin alone.
In this case report we can see that antithrombin can help in the treatment of consumptive coagulopathy when administered at the right moment. Thromboelastography can be used for the diagnosis and monitoring of coagulopathy but it is also necessary to determine the antithrombin level because the same thromboelastography hypocoagulation pattern can be found in chronic autoimmune conditions with normal antithrombin level, e.g. in ulcerative colitis.