Emergency Surgery in a Critically Ill Patient with Major Drug-Induced Bleeding and Severe Ischaemic Heart Failure

INTRODUCTION: Anticoagulant overdose frequently occurs in elderly populations especially in remote areas where medical services are scarce. When emergency surgery is required, such patients offer major anaesthetic challenges. CASE PRESENTATION: We describe the case of an elderly patient admitted to a surgical ward with acute abdominal pain, on dual anti-platelet therapy and acenocoumarol for a recent acute myocardial infarction treated percutaneously with two drug-eluting stents. Laboratory tests showed severe anticoagulant overdose with uncoagulable INR. The decision was made to use of both light transmission aggregometry [LTA] for platelet function testing and thromboelastography to aid in the management of perioperative haemostasis in order to prevent both severe bleeding and stent thrombosis. Surgery revealed haemoperitoneum, volvulus of the ileum and a venous mesenteric infarction. Intraoperative blood loss was minimal and no blood products were administered. Postoperative course was uneventful without either thrombotic or haemorrhagic complications and the patient was discharged from the Postanaesthesia Care Unit on postoperative day two. CONCLUSION: The use of aggregometry and thrombography helped in both evaluation and management of haemostasis of a high-risk patient by goal-directed administration of pro-and anti-coagulants.