[Disseminated intravascular coagulation related to atherosclerosis and aneurysm of aorta: successful management with subcutaneous self injection of heparin sodium].

We described here a seventy-one year-old male, who had repeated disseminated intravascular coagulation related to atherosclerosis and aneurysm of the aorta, and was successfully treated with self-subcutaneous injection of heparin sodium. He developed gingival bleeding and purpura in 1977. He was first treated with prednisolone (30 mg/day) and ACTH-Z under the diagnosis of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura associated with chronic thyroiditis, since platelet count (0.2 x 10(4)/microliters) was markedly decreased and megakaryocytes in the bone marrow were increased. By the treatment, platelet count recovered to 16.7 x 10(4)/microliters, while fibrin-degradation product levels were increased and hypofibrinogenemia developed, suggesting disseminated intravascular coagulopathy. Additional treatment with heparin was effective, and the coagulation studies became normal. In 1980, he again developed the episode with thrombocytopenia. At this time, prednisolone did not improve the episode, but heparin was effective. Since 1983, an enlargement of abdominal aorta had been recognized and gradually progressed. In 1983, he developed lumbago and abdominal pain, and received an emergency operation using artificial Y-graft vessel under the diagnosis of rupture of the aneurysm. There was no evidence of consumption coagulopathy at that time. He had been well until 1987, when he developed the third episode of thrombocytopenia with gingival bleeding. Thrombocytopenia was controlled with the treatment of heparin, but needed a continuous treatment with heparin. Thereafter, he has been well managed with self-injection of the anticoagulant, heparin sodium.