In a 5 years period 5 female patients suffering from a severe HELLP sy
ndrome were treated. The problems concerning diagnostic and treatment
are discussed. 3 patients had to be operated on in an emergency state.
The operations were performed because of acute and severe abdominal b
leeding. Two of the patients needed liver transplantation as an emerge
ncy procedure, one of them died after hepatectomy on the list. Another
one died 7 weeks after successful transplantation in a state of prolo
nged sepsis. The two conservatively treated and the one transplanted p
atient are still alive and well.