A 38-YEAR-OLD woman who had been suffering from a rare blood disorder called thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) was saved after undergoing 12 blood transfusions, according to oeeee.com.

    The woman, surnamed Zhao, and her husband have been engaged in the catering business in Shenzhen for several years. They usually open for business in the afternoon and work until midnight.

    On July 1, Zhao suddenly fainted at home. Her husband immediately brought her to a nearby hospital. She was treated in the hospital’s intensive care unit for several days but without improvement.

    Zhao had been in a coma for five days before she was transferred to the Shenzhen University General Hospital. Shortly after she was admitted to the hospital, Zhao suffered an epileptic seizure.

    Based on years of experience, Yu Li, deputy director of the hospital, believed that Zhao had developed TTP. The incidence of the disease is only one in a million, but the mortality rate is as high as 80 to 90 percent.

    According to Yu, the best way to treat the disease is blood transfusion combined with the use of large doses of hormone drugs.

    After confirming the cause of Zhao’s disease, the medical team at the hospital’s hematology and oncology department immediately initiated a treatment plan for the patient. Zhao’s condition became stable after 12 blood transfusions, which is equivalent to replacing all of the blood in her body.

    However, Zhao was diagnosed with lung cancer after the hospital conducted a more thorough examination.

    “We did a set of genetic tests for her and found that she did have a need for targeted drugs. After the application of the drugs, Zhao’s lung tumors were significantly reduced and her epilepsy never relapsed,” said Yu.

    Zhao has been discharged from the hospital at present. She needs to take the targeted drugs at a certain time every day and regularly visit the hospital for further consultation.

    (Zhang Yu)