A patient with idiopathic thrombocytopenia purpura continues to experience sympt

2 -- A splenectomy is the treatment of choice if the patient with idiopathic thrombocytopenia purpura relapses when glucocorticoids are discontinued. The spleen is the site of platelet destruction and antibody production. This surgery often cures the disorder, although relapse may occur years after splenectomy. Aspirin therapy would be contraindicated in this situation and would most likely result in bleeding. Platelet transfusions are ineffective with this disorder since the problem is that the platelets are being produced adequately, but destroyed. Life-long prednisone therapy is rarely prescribed and prednisone therapy was not effective for this patient.