Presurgical plasma exchange for severe factor V deficiency

We report two patients with severe congenital factor V deficiency, one of whom also had a factor V inhibitor, who required correction of their coagulopathy prior to surgical procedures. They underwent plasma exchange (PE) with fresh frozen plasma or solvent/detergent treated plasma (S/DP), with achievement of factor V levels satisfactory for hemostasis for their procedures. PE makes it possible to raise factor levels quickly and sufficiently without volume overload. In addition, transient reduction of inhibitor titers by PE may improve the level of correction achievable during the perioperative period. The advent of S/DP promises to provide an added increment of safety in patients exposed to significant volumes of plasma during PE.