Abstract
Two patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and one with hereditary spherocytosis (HS) complicated by epilepsy after splenectomy were described.
Case 1; A 25-year-old woman was admitted to our clinic in February 1976. She was nine months pregnant at that time and the diagnosis of CML was made soon after admission. In March 1976, she underwent cesarean section and splenectomy. Four month later, she developed an acute episode of unconsciousness and convulsion for several minutes. Thereafter the attack occurred three times, and her platelet count was estimated between 1,100,000/mm3 to 2,300,000/mm3 at each episode.
Case 2; A 45-year-old man was diagnosed to have CML in February and splenctomized in March 1977. After splenectomy the platelet count consistently and promptly showed marked increase up to 6,000,000/mm3 with occurrence of numerous episodes of convulsion. He did not respond to anticonvulsive agents and antithrombotic therapy.
Case 3; A 12-year-old girl was hospitalized and the diagnosis of hereditary spherocytosis was made in August, 1975. After routine splenectomy, she developed repetitive episodes of convulsion and unconsciousness. At this time, a platelet count showed the usual elevation to between 560,000/mm3 and 900,000/mm3.
Three patients had no clinical signs and laboratory findings of cerebral thrombosis.
There was no clear explanation for the relationship between thrombocytosis and epilepsy.
