A patient with severe thrombocytosis may benefit from therapeutic plateletpheresis to reduce the platelet count.
Severe thrombocytosis can occur with:
(1) primary thrombocythemia
(2) other myeloproliferative disorder (chronic myelogenous leukemia, etc)
(3) rebound thrombocytosis following splenectomy
In a patient with thrombocythemia the effect of plateletpheresis will be temporary. Plateletpheresis usually needs to be performed in conjunction with hydroxyurea and/or chemotherapy.
Additional determinants for the procedure:
(1) the risk of thrombosis associated with the elevated platelet count.
