Abstract: A clinical case is presented of a 60-year-old man with thrombotic thrombocytopenic 
purpura that occured after surgical treatment of a patellar fracture and long-term 
administration of fraxiparin.
The purpose of the presentation is to give more information about a rare nosological entity that 
represents an emergency in hematology and is almost always fatal if proper treatment is not 
started immediately. It is a form of thrombotic thrombocytopenia, characterized by greatly 
reduced ADAMTS13 protease activity which removes the von Willebrand factor. It represents 
a heterogeneous syndrome with a classic presentation of thrombocytopenia, Coombs negative 
hemolytic anemia, fever, neurologic symptoms and renal failure.
Keywords: thrombotic microangiopathy, thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, clinical case

Download full text as PDF file