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VOLUME 20 , ISSUE 7 ( 2016 ) > List of Articles

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The incidence of deep venous thrombosis in high-risk Indian neurosurgical patients: Need for early chemoprophylaxis?

Mathew Joseph, Ajith John George, Jayanthi Chinnaiya Karthic

Keywords : Deep vein thrombosis, duplex ultrasonography, heparin, high-risk neurosurgical patients, mechanical prophylaxis

Citation Information : Joseph M, George AJ, Karthic JC. The incidence of deep venous thrombosis in high-risk Indian neurosurgical patients: Need for early chemoprophylaxis?. Indian J Crit Care Med 2016; 20 (7):412-416.

DOI: 10.4103/0972-5229.186223

License: CC BY-ND 3.0

Published Online: 01-02-2014

Copyright Statement:  Copyright © 2016; The Author(s).


Abstract

Introduction: Deep venous thrombosis (DVT) is thought to be less common in Asians than in Caucasian population. The incidence of DVT in high-risk groups, especially the neurosurgical (NS) patients, has not been well studied. This leaves no firm basis for the start of early prophylactic anticoagulation within first 5 postoperative days in Indian NS patients. This is a prospective observational study to determine the early occurrence of DVT in the NS patients. Patients and Methods: We screened 137 consecutive high-risk NS patients based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. The femoral veins were screened using Doppler ultrasound on day 1, 3, and 5 of admission into the NS Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at tertiary center from South India. Results: Among 2887 admissions to NICU 147 patients met inclusion criteria. One hundred thirty seven were screened for DVT. There was a 4.3% (6/137) incidence of DVT with none of the six patients having signs or symptoms of pulmonary embolism. Among the risk factors studied, there was a significant association with femoral catheterization and a probable association with weakness/paraparesis/paraplegia. The mortality in the study group was 10.8% with none attributable to DVT or pulmonary embolism. Conclusion: There is a low incidence of DVT among the high risk neurosurgical population evaluated within the first 5 days of admission to NICU, limiting the need for early chemical thrombo-prophylaxis in these patients. With strict protocols for mechanical prophylaxis with passive leg exercise, early mobilization and serial femoral Doppler screening, heparin anticoagulation can be restricted within the first 5 days of ICU admission in high risk patients.


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