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Blood Clots and Spine Surgery
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Posted on: 03/31/2004
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Blood clots can be a deadly problem. About half a million cases of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) are reported in the United States every year. Surgeons know that DVT can occur after surgery. Operations involving the legs, such as a total hip or total knee replacement, have the greatest risk of DVT. DVT is a concern after spinal operations, too. As more and more spine operations are being done, DVT after spine surgery is a growing concern.
In this report, doctors from Italy offer some guidelines on preventing DVT after spine surgery. They point out who's at risk. They also look at the risk of blood clots with different kinds of spine surgery. General risk factors for blood clots must be considered. Risk factors include obesity, age, prolonged bed rest, and diabetes or other diseases.
The doctor must look at the reason why each patient needs spine surgery. Is it the result of trauma? Tumor? Degenerative aging? And finally, the kind of operation must be considered. Attention is given to operating time, the part of the spine requiring surgery, and the position the patient will be in during the operation.
A single formula or way to prevent DVT in spine patients isn't possible because of many differences between patients and operations. Each patient must be evaluated for risk individually. If blood thinners are used, surgeons must be aware if too much bleeding occurs during the operation. Some blood clotting is needed.
For patients at risk, these authors advise using drugs to prevent clots starting two hours before or up to six hours after the operation. They also advise using stockings and leg pumps after surgery.
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References:
S. Brambilla, et al. Prevention of Venous Thromboembolism in Spinal Surgery. In European Spine Journal. February 2004. Vol. 13. No. 1. Pp. 1-8.
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*Disclaimer:*The information contained herein is compiled from a variety of sources. It may not be complete or timely. It does not cover all diseases, physical conditions, ailments or treatments. The information should NOT be used in place of visit with your healthcare provider, nor should you disregard the advice of your health care provider because of any information you read in this topic. |
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