[Acute renal failure and consumption coagulopathy in the puerperium]

Disseminated intravascular coagulation accompanied 18% of cases of acute renal failure during puerperal disorders. We studied in particular 31 cases of disseminated intravascular coagulation with renal failure due to obstetric disorders : 12 post-abortion infections, 3 retentions of a dead foetus, 5 infections, 6 cases of toxemia, 2 retroplacental hemorrhages, two hemorrhages during the third stage, one uremohemolytic syndrome. For diagnosis one relies on the clinical data (bleeding, purpura, shock, hemolysis, visceral involvement) and laboratory data, (coagulation should be supervised throughout the course). The renal lesions are either cortical necrosis, or interstitial nephritis. The analogies with experimental phenomena suggest a human equivalent of the Schwartzmann-Sanarelli syndrome.