Congenital Thrombocytopenic Purpura Treated by Exchange Transfusion.

The occurrence of thrombocytopenic purpura in babies born to mothers with idiopathic thrombocytopenia is a well recognized though uncommon clinical entity. Robson and Walker (1951) were able to collect from the literature only 19 definite and nine probable examples of this association. The suggestion of Epstein, Lozner, Cobbey and Davidson (1950) that this type of congenital thrombocytopenic purpura results from the transfer across the placenta of a maternal factor capable of causing thrombocytopenia has recently received support with the demonstration of platelet agglutinins in the serum of both mother and child (Harrington, Sprague, Minnich, Moore, Aulvin and Dubach, 1953; Vanderbroucke and Verstraete, 1955; Tullis, 1956; Schoen, King and Duane, 1956). In view of these findings it might be expected that exchange transfusion of affected infants would, by removing the acquired platelet antibodies, shorten the period of thrombocytopenia and so lessen the risk of haemorrhage and death. We report below observations on a baby with congenital thrombocytopenic purpura who was treated in this manner.