Leukemic reticuloendotheliosis. Loss of platelet defect after splenectomy.

A 59-year-old woman with leukemic reticuloendotheliosis had pancytopenia and hypersplenism. Before splenectomy, she had an abnormal bleeding time and a severe defect of secondary-wave platelet aggregation. After splenectomy, the platelet count returned to normal, and the aggregation defect was no longer present. This response suggests that the spleen may contribute to the platelet dysfunction.