Selective decontamination of the digestive tract contributes to the control of disseminated intravascular coagulation in severe liver impairment.

A premature neonate with severe Coxsackie B1 hepatitis acquired in utero developed disseminated intravascular coagulation a few days after birth. The neonate did not respond to conventional treatment. Eradication of aerobic gram-negative bacilli (Enterobacteriaceae) from the gut with oral nonabsorbable polymyxin E and tobramycin (selective decontamination of the digestive tract) was followed by clinical improvement; disseminated intravascular coagulation was controlled. After an unstable convalescence, the neonate recovered and was discharged in good general condition. A correlation between oral feeding, gut carriage of Enterobacteriaceae, fecal endotoxin pool, and platelet counts was observed. The eradication of gut carriage of aerobic gram-negative bacilli was associated with a significant decrease of the intestinal endotoxin pool and paralleled the recovery from thrombocytopenia. Selective decontamination is discussed as a method of possible value for controlling systemic endotoxin-induced symptoms in the critically ill with intestinal endotoxemia.