Successful treatment with recombinant factor VIIa for intractable bleeding at pelvic surgery.

Background: Postoperative bleeding may be complicated by failure to identify the site of bleeding, multiple bleeding points, and persistent hemorrhage despite surgical intervention.

Case: Activated recombinant factor VII was used successfully in a patient with life-threatening postsurgical bleeding after resection of two large extraperitoneal pelvic sarcomas.

Conclusion: In severe hemorrhage, hemostasis can be achieved with activated recombinant factor VII.