Hanf W, Duntze J, Hida H, Blanc Q, Reynaud C
Service de réanimation, CHG de Valence, boulevard du Maréchal-Juin, Valence cedex 9, France.
Ann Fr Anesth Reanim. 2009 Oct;28(10):885-8. doi: 10.1016/j.annfar.2009.08.004. Epub 2009 Oct 17.
We present the case of a 73-year-old man, operated on for paralyzing sciatica, who displayed acute postoperative respiratory distress and intra-alveolar haemorrhage following the administration of dabigatran etexilate, a new oral antithrombin used in the prevention of venous thromboembolism. This serious incident occurred in a patient who had a 20-year history of chronic thrombocytopenia (platelet level at 100G/l) and a heparin-induced thrombocytopenia and in whom no other aetiology was found (tuberculosis, pneumo-renal syndrome, etc.). The postoperative prevention of thromboembolic events in a patient with high risk bleeding requires intensive monitoring, notably, when prescribing new drugs such as new anticoagulant agents.
