Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura

Question: Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura? With this condition, is a exchange transfusion the only option. Oh and I don't suffer with this. I'm doing research in to blood diseases.

Answer: Since the early 1990s, plasmapheresis has become the treatment of choice for TTP.[12] This is an exchange transfusion involving removal of the patient's blood plasma through apheresis and replacement with donor plasma (fresh frozen plasma or cryosupernatant); the procedure has to be repeated daily to eliminate the inhibitor and ablate the symptoms. Lactate dehydrogenase levels are generally used to monitor disease activity. Plasmapheresis may need to be continued for 1–8 weeks before patients with idiopathic TTP cease to consume platelets and begin to normalize their hemoglobin. No single laboratory test (platelet count, LDH, ADAMTS13 level, or inhibitory factor) is indicative of recovery; research protocols have used improvement or normalization of LDH as a measure for ending plasmapheresis. Although patients may be critically ill with failure of multiple organ systems during the acute illness, including renal failure, myocardial ischemia, and neurologic symptoms, recovery over several months may be complete in the absence of a frank myocardial infarct, stroke, or CNS hemorrhage.[citation needed] Many TTP patients need additional immunosuppressive therapy, with glucocorticoid steroids (e.g. prednisolone or prednisone), vincristine, cyclophosphamide, splenectomy or a combination of the above. Rituximab, a monoclonal antibody targeting B cells, has been successfully used to treat patients with refractory disease.[citation needed] Children with Upshaw-Schulman syndrome receive plasma every two to three weeks prophylactically; this maintains adequate levels of functioning ADAMTS13. Measuring LDH level, platlets counts and schistocytes under high power fields are used to monitor disease progression or remission. :)

Question: Have you or and anyone you know been affected by Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (TTP)? I was hospitalized in November for the disease. It was a horrible time went through chemo and apheresis. But, I have almost been in remission for 9 months now. Tell me your story and experiences.

Answer: I have treated a few patients with this illness in ICU setting. If you are sitting here and writing this then you are lucky since this carries a poor prognosis, all the best

Question: Has anyone suffered from any of these? 1) Gestional Thrombocytopenia 2) Idiopathic Thrombocytopenia purpura 3) Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura If so what did your doctor do for you. During both of my previous pregnancies I had all of these. Want to know more information if anyone else has had any of them.

Answer: Hi, 1. Gestational Thrombocytopenia- In many women, mild thrombocytopenia occurs toward the end of pregnancy, and the platelet count returns to normal within days after delivery. The etiology for this phenomenon is unknown, but it is the most common cause of thrombocytopenia during pregnancy, occurring in approximately 5% of women at term. For most cases, there is no treatment since it resolves on it's own and the baby is born without any problems. 2. Idiopathic Thrombocytopenia Purpura- Occasionally, ITP patients suffer from petechiae, bruising, nosebleeds, and bleeding gums; this is the characteristic pattern of bleeding in platelet disorders. Bleeding normally does not occur unless the platelet count is very low (below about 10,000 per mm3, compared to a normal range of 150,000–400,000 per mm3). This one is more important because if a woman gets it while pregnant, it's possible for the baby to have low platelets as well. Mild ITP does not require treatment. When platelet counts fall under 10,000 per microliter, or under 50,000 when hemorrhage occurs (e.g. in the digestive tract or in a severe nosebleed) treatment is generally initiated with steroids. Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) is often used initially in order to raise the count quickly. It is also a common treatment for children. When these strategies fail, splenectomy (removal of the spleen) is sometimes undertaken, as platelets targeted for destruction will often meet their fate in the spleen. Splenectomy is said to be successful in 60% of cases although it is less successful in older people. 3. Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic purpura- This one is a lot more rare. I've never seen an actual case of this, but most cases of TTP arise from deficiency or inhibition of the enzyme ADAMTS13, which is responsible for cleaving large multimers of von Willebrand factor. von Willebrand factor helps you clot. This leads to hemolysis and end-organ damage, and may require plasmapheresis therapy. It has two types, the secondary type is the one that is caused by pregnancy. Since the early 1990s, plasmapheresis has become the treatment of choice for TTP. This is an exchange transfusion involving removal of the patient's blood plasma through apheresis and replacement with donor plasma (fresh frozen plasma or cryosupernatant); the procedure has to be repeated daily to eliminate the inhibitor and ablate the symptoms. Lactate dehydrogenase levels are generally used to monitor disease activity. Plasmapheresis may need to be continued for 1-8 weeks before patients with idiopathic TTP cease to consume platelets and begin to normalize their hemoglobin.

Question: Can I get a tattoo despite the condition I had? I'm in remission for TTP (thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura) I was diagnosed in 2003. Since then I have not experienced any of the past symptoms. May I know if I can get a tattoo despite the past condition I had? Is there a chance for me to bleed while undergoing the tattoo? I remember when I had my tooth extracted my dentist had a hard time operating on me coz I kept bleeding from my gums.

Answer: I don't know anything about your disease but you WILL bleed while getting a tattoo.

Question: What is TTP in thoracic spine? This is in my medical papers but I don't know what it means. I only found one condition (Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura) but surely if I had this the doctor would have discussed it with me. But then again, these days you never know. Anyone know what it could be? I do have degenerative disk disease and I did have a epidural and also a mri. My Internest doctor wrote this about the TTP as well as high risk for SB.

Answer: TTP can also mean "time to progress/peak" or "time for tumour progression" etc.. Is this a chronic problem with your spine (or a lesion), or was this a follow-up visit to you dr. when he/she wrote this? Hope this helps.

Question: Has there been any progress in finding a cure for thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP)?

Answer: No, according to the British Medical Journal, report p45.Oct edition