Author Interviews, Cancer Research, Clots - Coagulation, Sloan Kettering / 16.12.2015
Pre-op Venous Thromboembolism Prophylaxis Safely Reduced Clots and Pulmonary Emboli
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Luke V. Selby, MD
Research Fellow, Department of Surgery
Vivian E. Strong, MD FACS
Associate Attending Surgeon, Department of Surgery
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Medical Research: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?
Response: There was strong concern at our institution about the safety of providing pre-operative Venous Thromboembolism (VTE) chemoprophylaxis (in addition to our standard peri and post-operative prophylaxis) was unsafe. To answer this question we administered a single dose of either low molecular weight heparin or unfractionated heparin to all eligible surgical patients at our institution over a six month period. When compared to identically selected patients operated on during the preceding 18 months, patients who received the pre-operative VTE chemoprophylaxis did not have higher rates of bleeding complications and had lower rates of DVT and pulmonary embolism (PE).
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