[HSF] A TRALI case

[Hgrmd at aol.com]

Mark and Prasanna,
  Thanks for your input.  Like you, Mark, I had a very similar  case after an 
uneventful minimally invasive ASD closure and Cox-maze.  The  patient got 
some platelets intraop.  The postop TEE looked perfect, and he  came off easily.  
However, prior to transfer to CVICU, he started emitting  large amounts of 
thin bloody fluid from ET tube.  This was in spite of a  normal TEE with an EF 
of 60%.  He became progressively hypoxic and  ultimately died  hours postop.  
Even though I live in South Florida, I  pushed for an autopsy.  The suture 
lines were perfect.  The lungs had  intense PMN infiltration consistent with a 
severe transfusion reaction.  I  don't remember the pathologist saying TRALI, but 
I assume that's what it  was.  
Hal
<BR><BR><BR>**************************************<BR> AOL now offers free 
email to everyone.  Find out more about what's free from AOL at 
http://www.aol.com.