Acquired factor V deficiency following transcatheter arterial chemoembolization for hepatocellular carcinoma: a case report

Acquired factor V deficiency is a rare condition associated with a wide variety of causes. We herein report the case of a 75-year-old man who developed acquired factor V deficiency associated with gastrointestinal bleeding after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) for hepatocellular carcinoma. Laboratory data revealed prolonged prothrombin time (PT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) and a significant reduction in the factor V (FV) activity. Infusion of fresh-frozen plasma (FFP) was unable to correct the prolonged PT and APTT. Four weeks after onset, his coagulation parameters improved spontaneously with no particular treatment. The patient developed acquired FV deficiency after TACE treatment using cisplatin, and thus, cisplatin was suspected as the cause of this coagulopathy. If coagulopathy that is not corrected by FFP transfusion after TACE is observed, acquired factor V deficiency, although extremely rare, should be considered.