On pump coronary surgical revascularization in a patient with chronic immune thrombocytopenic purpura

We performed on-pump coronary artery bypass graft surgery on a 54-year-old female, known case of chronic Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP), hypertension and dyslipidaemia who had presented to us with progressive exertional shortness of breath and chest pain. The decision of going on with CABG was made after two weeks of preoperative treatment with prednisolone. Her platelet counts pre-operatively and on the 4th post-operative day were 135×10⁹/L and 32×10⁹/L. She had an unremarkable post-operative recovery, without requiring whole blood or platelet transfusions. We recommend preoperative steroid treatment in patients with chronic ITP undergoing CABG.