DIC and acute renal failure as a complication of abruptio placentae.

Disseminated intravascular coagulopathy (DIC) is not a new concept. Almost 90 years ago De Lee reported a case of fetal coagulation disorder with abruptio placentae and described it as "temporary hemophilia." Disseminated intravascular clotting is the result of a widespread exposure of the circulating blood to procoagulant activity capable of activating fibrinolytic enzyme system converting fibrinogen into the fibrin. Fibrin may in turn cause small blood vessel occlusion resulting in tissue necrosis, and as the phenomenon occurs more often in the glomerular capillaries acute renal failure may ensue.