Thrombelastographic patterns during cryotherapy for recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma

A cirrhotic patient with recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma and thrombocytopenia undergoing cryotherapy showed: 1) transient hyperfibrinolysis shortly after platelet transfusion, and 2) evidence of activation of coagulation after freezing and thawing of tumor as measured on the thrombelastography. No anti-fibrinolytic treatment was required for the hyperfibrinolysis which subsided spontaneously in this patient. This case report highlights that: 1) in patients with chronic liver disease, platelet transfusion might potentially worsen rather than improve the hemostatic function by activation of fibrinolysis, and 2) activation of coagulation may underlie the perioperative coagulation changes seen in cryotherapy.