Variations in Perioperative Thromboprophylaxis Practices: Do the Guidelines Need a Closer Look?

Bibliographic Details
Title: Variations in Perioperative Thromboprophylaxis Practices: Do the Guidelines Need a Closer Look?
Authors: Russell Seth Martins, MD, Elizabeth Christophel, BS, Kostantinos Poulikidis, MD, Syed Shahzad Razi, MD, M. Jawad Latif, MD, Jeffrey Luo, PhD, Faiz Y. Bhora, MD
Source: Annals of Thoracic Surgery Short Reports, Vol 2, Iss 3, Pp 422-426 (2024)
Publisher Information: Elsevier, 2024.
Publication Year: 2024
Collection: LCC:Surgery
LCC:Diseases of the circulatory (Cardiovascular) system
Subject Terms: Surgery, RD1-811, Diseases of the circulatory (Cardiovascular) system, RC666-701
More Details: Background: In 2022, the American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS) and the European Society of Thoracic Surgeons (ESTS) published joint guidelines regarding the timing, duration, and choice of agent for perioperative venous thromboembolism prophylaxis for thoracic cancer patients. Now, 1 year after their release, we looked to assess practices and general adherence to these recommendations. Methods: We conducted a survey among board-certified/board-eligible thoracic surgeons in the United States, between July and October 2023. Results: A total of 103 board-certified thoracic surgeons responded to the survey. Over half of the surgeons reported using preoperative chemical thromboprophylaxis routinely for lobectomy/sublobar resections (56.3%), pneumonectomy/extended lung resections (64.1%), and esophagectomy (67%). Over two thirds of thoracic surgeons limited the duration of postoperative chemical thromboprophylaxis to the patient’s length of hospital stay and never administered chemoprophylaxis post-discharge. Among surgeons who always continued chemical thromboprophylaxis post-discharge, low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) was the most commonly used agent (>70%), followed by direct oral anticoagulants (13.8%-16.7%). Only 33.3% of surgeons prescribing post-discharge chemical thromboprophylaxis after lobectomy/sublobar resections continued prophylaxis up to 4 weeks postoperatively. Conclusions: Contrary to the 2022 joint AATS/ESTS guidelines, the majority of surveyed thoracic surgeons in the United States do not routinely prescribe postoperative thromboprophylaxis after lung and esophageal cancer resections. The dogma of routine extended thromboprophylaxis must be reevaluated as modern minimally invasive thoracic surgery allows for very earlier ambulation and enhanced recovery. There is a need for randomized controlled trials exploring the utility of extended thromboprophylaxis and newer agents such as direct oral anticoagulants.
Document Type: article
File Description: electronic resource
Language: English
ISSN: 2772-9931
Relation: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772993124001955; https://doaj.org/toc/2772-9931
DOI: 10.1016/j.atssr.2024.04.014
Access URL: https://doaj.org/article/7792672538374a348018b60c97651f09
Accession Number: edsdoj.7792672538374a348018b60c97651f09
Database: Directory of Open Access Journals
More Details
ISSN:27729931
DOI:10.1016/j.atssr.2024.04.014
Published in:Annals of Thoracic Surgery Short Reports
Language:English