DIC (Disseminated intravascular coagulation)

Alternative names:

consumption coagulopathy; disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC)

Definition:

A serious bleeding disorder resulting from the overstimulation of the body's clotting and anticlotting mechanisms in response to injury or stress.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

Disseminated intravascular coagulation occurs when the blood clotting mechanisms are activated throughout the body instead of being localized to an area of injury. Circulating platelets form small blood clots throughout the body, and eventually the blood clotting factors are used up and not available to form clots at sites of tissue injury. Clot dissolving mechanisms are also increased, and generalized bleeding takes place. DIC may be stimulated by many factors including infection in the blood by bacteria or fungus, severe tissue injury as in burns and head injury, cancer, reactions to blood transfusions, and obstetrical complications such as retained placenta after delivery.

Risk factors are recent sepsis, recent injury or trauma, recent surgery or anesthesia, complications of labor and delivery, leukemia or disseminated cancer, recent blood transfusion reaction, and severe liver disease. The incidence is 1 out of 10,000 people.