Background: Anticoagulation treatment after lower limb surgery is one of the key methods to avoid thrombosis, and low-molecular-weight heparin is the treatment that is most frequently used in clinical practice. But one uncommon side effect of low-molecular-weight heparin is heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT), which can develop into thrombosis if not caught early or managed incorrectly.
Case summary: We present a case of a patient who underwent hip arthroplasty and experienced thrombocytopenia due to HIT on the 9th d following the application of low-molecular-weight heparin anticoagulation. We did not diagnose HIT in time and applied 1 unit of platelets to the patient, which led to thrombosis. Luckily, the patient recovered following effective and timely surgery and treatment with rivaroxaban.
Conclusion: Patients using low-molecular-weight heparin after lower limb surgery need to have their platelet counts regularly checked. If HIT develops, platelet treatment should be given with caution.
Keywords: Case report; Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia with thrombosis; Low-molecular-weight heparin; Platelet.
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