Disseminated intravascular coagulation and congenital neuroblastoma

A newborn infant with congenital neuroblastoma complicated by disseminated intravascular coagulation is described. At birth the infant showed liver and spleen enlargement and shortly thereafter malignant cells were found in the bone marrow. On the fifth day of life the infant started to bleed and coabulation analysis indicated disseminated intravascular coagulation. Heparin therapy corrected the coagulation anomaly and irradiation and chemotherapy temporarily improved the general condition of the infant. The infant finally succumbed from tis primary neoplastic disease.