Therapeutic thrombocytapheresis: a review of 132 patients.

Therapeutic thrombocytapheresis has been used is an attempt to obtain a rapid cytoreduction in thrombocythemic patients, in order to prevent or reduce thrombosis or bleeding complications. Long-term cytoreduction has to be performed with chemotherapy. We have treated with thrombocytapheresis 132 patients with increased platelet count (76 with thrombosis and/or bleeding) due to splenectomy, essential thrombocythemia and other myeloproliferative disorders: a comparative study has been performed to find a platelet count that could be helpful in preventing thrombotic and hemorrhagic complications and the role of diagnosis in predicting patient's risk.