The use of recombinant tissue plasminogen activator in the management of infective intracardiac thrombi in pre-term infants with thrombocytopaenia.

Bacterial endocarditis complicated by the development of intra-cardiac thrombus presents a difficult management dilemma in the pre-term infant. Here we present our experience with three infants who had this condition, all of whom were successfully managed using therapy with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (r-TPA). Therapy in one of the infants was particularly instructive, as the condition was further complicated by severe thrombocytopaenia, making the decision to treat using r-TPA difficult.