Japanese Journal of Clinical Oncology Advance Access originally published online on June 22, 2006
Japanese Journal of Clinical Oncology 2006 36(8):527-531; doi:10.1093/jjco/hyl054
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© 2006 Foundation for Promotion of Cancer Research
Case Report |
Anticoagulant-Induced Pseudothrombocytopenia Occurring after Transcatheter Arterial Embolization for Hepatocellular Carcinoma
1 Department of Radiology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, 2 Department of Radiology, Miki City Hospital, Miki, Hyogo, 3 Department of Radiology, Himeji Medical Center, Himeji, Hyogo, 4 Department of Radiology, Hyogo College of Medicine, Nishinomiya, Hyogo, 5 Department of Radiology, Tenri Hospital, Tenri, Nara and 6 Blood Transfusion Division, Kobe University Hospital, Kobe, Japan
For reprints and all correspondence: Takeshi Yoshikawa, Department of Radiology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, 7-5-2 Kusunokicho, Chuoku, Kobe, Hyogo 650-0017, Japan; E-mail: yoshikaw{at}med.kobe-u.ac.jp
Received January 13, 2006; accepted April 7, 2006
Pseudothrombocytopenia (PTCP) is the in vitro phenomenon of anticoagulant-activated platelet agglutination that results in spuriously low platelet counts. We report the case of a 65-year-old man with EDTA- and sodium citrate-dependent PTCP occurring after transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) due to hepatitis C cirrhosis. Invasion of the portal and hepatic veins by HCC formed severe trans-tumoral arterio-venous shunts that were effectively treated by TAE. Two days after the therapy, PTCP was seen on blood count and continued for 4 months. The patient received unnecessary treatment for disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) until the diagnosis of PTCP was established. PTCP is a rare complication but should be considered after TAE for HCC; lack of recognition may lead the physician to misdiagnosis and patient mismanagement.
Key Words: pseudothrombocytopenia transcatheter arterial embolization hepatocellular carcinoma portal invasion