[A clinical experience of agranulocytosis just after open heart surgery]

A 63-year-old woman who underwent aortic and mitral valve replacement developed agranulocytosis just after operation. It was considered that agranulocytosis was caused by bone marrow suppression by antiarrhythmic agent and extracorporeal circulation. Her white blood cell counts decreased to 300/mm3 on the third postoperative day, but increased surprisingly 5 days after administration of G-CSF. Fortunately she did not suffered from severe infection, and thereafter postoperative course was uneventful. Although agranulocytosis just after open heart surgery has not been reported, it appears that G-CSF might be useful.