Severe Postoperative Hemorrhage Attributed to Single-Dose Parenteral Ketorolac-Induced Coagulopathy

Abstract

Ketorolac is a nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug that has been used as a postoperative analgesic since its introduction in the US in 1990. Although hemorrhagic side effects secondary to its use have been consistently described in the medical literature, its attendant complications have been commonly unappreciated by the medical profession. Two catastrophic, near-fatal, hemorrhagic postoperative events are described in which the use of ketorolac was unquestionably contraindicated.