Disseminated intravascular coagulation with trauma: Treatment with exchange transfusion

Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) may complicate hypovolemic shock secondary to trauma. Treatment with heparin in such cases is contraindicated because of the risk of bleeding at the site of trauma. Replacement therapy with clotting factors and platelets alone may be inadequate or result in volume overload in the presence of compromised renal function. The authors describe here a patient with multiple intraabdominal traumatic injuries whose severe bleeding diathesis secondary to DIC was successfully treated with exchange transfusion.