Disseminated Intravascular Coagulopathy in Cranial Surgery: Case Report and Review of the Literature

Abstract

We present a rare case with multifocal osseous metastases of prostate cancer and disseminated intravascular coagulopathy (DIC). The patient received systemic tumor therapy, including antiandrogen agents as well as cerebral radiation. Due to rapid clinical deterioration, indication for surgery of the space-occupying calvarial metastasis was made as a salvage therapy procedure. Depleted clotting factors were substituted, and patient underwent tumor embolization prior to surgery. Although his neurological status improved postoperatively, the patient died suffering from multiple supra- and infratentorial infarctions. Our case report elucidates the laboratory results and difficulties of DIC in this case as well as possible treatment strategies.