Splenectomy in an uraemic patient with acquired factor X deficiency due to AL amyloidosis.

The clinical signs of amyloidosis are dependent on the organ systems involved [I]. A common finding is renal involvement which manifests as nephrotic syndrome. Cardiac involvement may result in congestive cardiomyopathy with conduction defects and arrhythm ias. Amyloid deposits especially in the spleen may bind clotting factors , which can lead to coagulation abnormaliti es. Factor X deficiency is an unusual compl ication of the amyloid light-chain type (AL) of the disease [2]. We report a case of a patient in whom splenectom y was initially successful. The case illustrates the fluctuations of factor X levels before and after splenectomy.