[Emergency treatment of severe bleeding in immune thrombocytopenia]

Immune thrombozytopenia (ITP) is a rare acquired thrombocytopenia occurring in 2 to 4 persons per 100,000 per year. ITP is defined as a platelet count less than 100 G/l in patients in whom other causes of thrombocytopenia have been ruled out. Severe bleeding is rare but may constitute a life-threatening condition. Therapeutic options include platelet transfusions, glucocorticoids and intravenous immune globuline (IVIG). Emergency splenectomy has to be considered in otherwise untreatable bleeding. We present the case of a 65-year-old patient with chronic refractory ITP and finally fatal bleeding.