MRCP revision battle 17.1: DIC
MRCP revision battle 17.2: Jugular foramen syndrome
MRCP revision battle 17.3: Thyroid cancer
MRCP revision battle 17.4: Legionella infection
MRCP revision battle 17.5: Pleural calcification
MRCP revision battle 17.6: Pseudoxathoma elasticum
MRCP revision battle 17.1: DIC
Disseminated intravascular coagulation (=DIC) is the pathalogical widespread activation of coagulation.
Blood tests will show:
- prolonged PT
- prolonged aPTT
- massively raised d-dimer levels
- low platelets
- low fibrinogen
- schistocytes
Of these, it is the level of fibrinogen which best correlates to the severity.
Causes of DIC include:
- obstetric
- crush injury
- septicaemia
- malignancy
- transfusion reaction
The treatment is:
- treat the cause
- give platelets if platelets <50
- cryoprecipitate
- FFP
- activated protein C if septic.
Now lets canter onwards to jugular foramen syndrome....
