Congenital Thrombocytopenic Purpura Treated by Exchange Transfusion

Abstract

A case report of a baby with congenital thrombocytopenic purpura is presented. The baby''s mother had had a splenectomy for idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura 20 years previously. The infant was treated by exchange transfusion and corticosteroids. Platelet agglutinins which were demonstrated in the serum of mother and baby shortly after birth could not be identified in the baby''s serum at 26 days. The thrombo-cytopenia, however, persisted and during the first three months the platelet count never rose above 120,000/c.mm. Although the baby made an uneventful clinical recovery it is doubtful if therapy materially altered the natural course of the condition.