Factor XIa Inhibitor Reversal in Intracranial Hemorrhage: A Case Report

There is currently no consensus regarding the optimal strategy for reversal of anticoagulation in life-threatening hemorrhage associated with factor XIa (FXIa) inhibitors.

For this clinical case report, informed consent was obtained from surrogate.

Here, we present the case of an 82-year-old female who sustained a large subdural hematoma after a fall. Her aPTT on admission was elevated at 90.4 s and remained persistently prolonged at 90.9 s 12-hour after receiving an adequate dose of 4-factor prothrombin complex concentrate (PCC). She was found to have received a factor XIa inhibitor in a clinical trial, and subsequently received recombinant activated factor VII (rFVIIa) 2 mg (45 mcg/kg) as a one-time dose, and tranexamic acid (TXA) 1 g intravenously for reversal given her intracranial bleeding in the setting of trauma complicated by recent factor XIa inhibitor use. However, given her clinical decline and high surgical risk, the patient's family elected to withdraw care and she expired three days later. Reversal of FXIa inhibitors is challenging but may best be achieved using a combination of rFVIIa and TXA.

Clinicians should consider administration of low dose recombinant activated factor VII (rFVIIa) in conjunction with an anti-fibrinolytic inhibitor such as tranexamic acid (TXA) for reversal of life-threatening hemorrhage in bleeding patients with exposure to novel factor XIa inhibitors that are currently in clinical trials.