Thrombocytopenia Occurrence With NxStage vs. Prismaflex Continuous Renal Replacement Systems

In this article, we will present a case of a 64-year-old male presenting with severe renal failure requiring the initiation of continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) with the NxStage system (NxStage Medical Inc., Lawrence, USA). He develops significant thrombocytopenia less than 48 hours after starting CRRT with NxStage. After switching to the Prismaflex CRRT system (Baxter Healthcare Corporation, Deerfield, USA), his serum platelet values started to increase towards normal. It is believed that the NxStage system is more commonly associated with thrombocytopenia than the Prismaflex system. The exact reason is not known. It is paramount that practitioners of critical care medicine are aware of this complication.