What is the recommended minimum platelet count before elective neurosurgery or ocular surgery?

• A 20 x 10^9/L
• B 50 x 10^9/L
• C 75 x 10^9/L
• D 100 x 10^9/L ✓

Explanation

Transfusion guidelines set procedure-specific platelet thresholds: 100 x 10^9/L before neurosurgery and ocular surgery because even minor bleeding in these closed compartments causes devastating injury; 50 x 10^9/L for most other major surgery; 10 x 10^9/L for prophylaxis against spontaneous bleeding in marrow failure states. The distractor values correspond to those lower-tier thresholds and are tempting precisely because students memorise the numbers without linking them to the procedure type.

Reference: Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 21st ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.