[Use of activated factor VII in severe acute hemorrhage].

Acute hemorrhage is a sometimes serious complication that may arise in patients admitted to the intensive care unit with coagulopathy. The usual therapy is transfusion of blood components: fresh frozen plasma, platelets, fibrinogen, red cell concentrate and vitamin K. Tolerance or response can sometimes be poor. We present three patients aged 18 months, 4.5 and 10 years who suffered an acute episode of severe, life-threatening hemorrhage in the course of meningococcal sepsis (gastric hemorrhage), myelomonocytic leukemia (during splenectomy) and in the postoperative period after cardiovascular surgery. Traditional therapy was ineffective and activated factor VII was administered at doses of 50-70 microg/kg, with rapid control of bleeding.