Propofol-Induced Bleeding Dyscrasia: A Case Report.

Propofol is one of the most commonly used anesthetic drugs, with rapid induction, maintenance and recovery times. Its relative safety has resulted in it becoming a popular choice for general anesthesia.

A 56 y o woman with no prior history of bleeding underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Postoperatively she experienced bleeding to the degree that open laparotomy was required to achieve hemostasis.Two years later, she underwent open sigmoid resection under propofol anesthesia for refractory diverticulitis. Severe postoperative bleeding ensued, necessitating IV fluid resuscitation and transfusion of packed red blood cells.Template bleeding time was repeatedly greater than 20 minutes on the first postoperative day. Platelet count, coagulation studies, von Willebrand disease assays, fibrinogen level and fibrinolytic system assays were found to be normal. Platelet aggregation in response to arachidonic acid was decreased at 9% (reference 60 - 120 %). The patient received platelet transfusions; hemostasis was achieved and the template bleeding time returned to normal on the second postoperative day and remained normal on repeat testing several weeks later.

A few reports have shown an increased bleeding with propofol, which is thought to be related to inhibition of thromboxane A2 synthesis and increased synthesis of leucocyte nitric oxide. Some studies show increased bleeding even without any change in the template bleeding time.

In summary, we report a case of a propofol-induced life threatening bleeding dyscrasia associated with a prolonged template bleeding time and platelet aggregation studies consistent with decreased response to arachidonic acid. This rarely reported complication should always be in the differential diagnosis of postoperative bleeding given the widespread usage of propofol anesthesia in major surgeries.