Therapeutic Plateletpheresis in Thombocythemia

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Abstract
Patients with myeloproliferative thrombocythemia are usually managed with chemotherapy. Removal of platelets from such patients is performed intermittently to lower the platelet mass rapidly when neurologic or hemorrhagic complications were manifest or concurrently with the initiation of chemotherapy. A platelet count of 1,000,000/.mu.l or less was maintained by the use of repeated plateletpheresis over 3 mo. in a patient with essential thrombocythemia, who had frequent syncopal episodes. A 2nd patient with secondary thrombocytosis, who sustained 2 cerebrovascular accidents, underwent intermittent plateletpheresis over 22 days until her underlying disorder improved. Plateletpheresis is not only a life-saving procedure in an acute episode but may also be used to maintain a lowered platelet count over a prolonged period in selected patients with primary thrombocythemia, in whom chemotherapy cannot be undertaken and in symptomatic patients with secondary thrombocythemia.