• Sibylle Kietaibl, Raquel Ferrandis, Anne Godier, Juan Llau, Clara Lobo, Alan Jr Macfarlane, Christoph J Schlimp, Erik Vandermeulen, Thomas Volk, Christian von Heymann, Morné Wolmarans, and Arash Afshari.
• From the Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, Evangelical Hospital Vienna and Sigmund Freud Private University, Vienna, Austria (SK), Department of Anaesthesiology and Critical Care, Hospital Universitari i Politècnic La Fe, Valencia, Spain (RF), Department of Anaesthesiology and Critical Care, European Georges Pompidou Hospital, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AG), INSERM UMRS-1140 Paris University, Paris, France (AG), Department of Anaesthesiology and Critical Care, Doctor Peset University Hospital (JL), Department of Surgery, Valencia University, Valencia, Spain (JL), Serviço de Anestesiologia Hospital das Forças Armadas, Pólo Porto, Porto, Portugal (CL), Department of Anaesthesia Pain Medicine and Critical Care, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK (AM), Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, AUVA Trauma Centre Linz, Linz (CJS); Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Experimental and Clinical Traumatology, AUVA Trauma Research Centre, Vienna, Austria (CJS), Department of Anaesthesia, University Hospitals Leuven. Catholic University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium (EV), Department of Anaesthesiology, Intensive Care and Pain Therapy, Saarland University Medical Center and Saarland University Faculty of Medicine, Homburg/Saar (TV), Department of Anaesthesia, Intensive Care Medicine, Emergency Medicine and Pain Therapy, Vivantes Klinikum im Friedrichshain, Berlin, Germany (CVH), Department of Anaesthesia, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital NHS Trust, Norwich, Norfolk, UK (MW), and Department of Pediatric and Obstetric Anesthesia, Juliane Marie Center, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark (AA).
• Eur J Anaesthesiol. 2022 Feb 1; 39 (2): 100132100-132.

BackgroundBleeding is a potential complication after neuraxial and peripheral nerve blocks. The risk is increased in patients on antiplatelet and anticoagulant drugs. This joint guideline from the European Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care and the European Society of Regional Anaesthesia aims to provide an evidence-based set of recommendations and suggestions on how to reduce the risk of antithrombotic drug-induced haematoma formation related to the practice of regional anaesthesia and analgesia.DesignA systematic literature search was performed, examining seven drug comparators and 10 types of clinical intervention with the outcome being peripheral and neuraxial haematoma. Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) was used for assessing the methodological quality of the included studies and for formulating recommendations. A Delphi process was used to prepare a clinical practice guideline.ResultsClinical studies were limited in number and quality and the certainty of evidence was assessed to be GRADE C throughout. Forty clinical practice statements were formulated. Using the Delphi-process, strong consensus (>90% agreement) was achieved in 57.5% of recommendations and consensus (75 to 90% agreement) in 42.5%.DiscussionSpecific time intervals should be observed concerning the adminstration of antithrombotic drugs both prior to, and after, neuraxial procedures or those peripheral nerve blocks with higher bleeding risk (deep, noncompressible). These time intervals vary according to the type and dose of anticoagulant drugs, renal function and whether a traumatic puncture has occured. Drug measurements may be used to guide certain time intervals, whilst specific reversal for vitamin K antagonists and dabigatran may also influence these. Ultrasound guidance, drug combinations and bleeding risk scores do not modify the time intervals. In peripheral nerve blocks with low bleeding risk (superficial, compressible), these time intervals do not apply.ConclusionIn patients taking antiplatelet or anticoagulant medications, practitioners must consider the bleeding risk both before and after nerve blockade and during insertion or removal of a catheter. Healthcare teams managing such patients must be aware of the risk and be competent in detecting and managing any possible haematomas.Copyright © 2021 European Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care. Unauthorized reproduction of this article is prohibited.

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