Treatment of the severe bleeding episode in type III von Willebrand's disease by simultaneous administration of cryoprecipitate and platelet concentrate.

A severe, life-threatening bleeding episode in a 24-year-old woman suffering from type III von Willebrand's disease was treated by large doses of cryoprecipitate with unsatisfactory results. Bleeding ceased and the bleeding time normalized only after concomitant administration of platelet concentrates. In the treatment of von Willebrand's disease patients possessing platelets with absent or insufficient von Willebrand factor activity the administration of plasma concentrates together with platelets appears to be justified.