Four cases of disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) occurred in our hospital following surgery for head and neck cancer. Two patients were successfully treated with heparin therapy, but two died because of delay in starting the appropriate treatment. From these cases we learned that it was most important to recognize the complications that might cause DIC and to perform frequent hematological examinations. Fistula formation, abscess, necrosis of the flap and bronchopneumonia were the risk factors for DIC in our experience.
