Hemorrhagic and serological complications of Glanzmann's thrombasthenia: A case report

We present an eight-year-old patient with Glanzmann's thrombasthenia who was hospitalized in the Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology due to severe posthemorrhagic anemia caused by massive gingival bleeding and epistaxis in the course of pneumonia. Multiple hemorrhages to the vitreous body of both eyeballs occurred during hospitalization. The girl was treated with repeated transfusions of a platelet concentrate and thereafter by injections of anti-D immunoglobulin into the vitreous body because of lack of resorption of blood from the vitreous bodies. Due to multiple transfusions of platelets and red blood cell concentrates the patient produced specific antierythrocyte alloantibodies and lymphocytotoxic antibodies. This complicated treatment because it was necessary to use blood preparations from phenotypically compatible donors.