• Nitin Agarwal, Georgios A Zenonos, Prateek Agarwal, Frank J Walch, Eileen Roach, Sandra J Stokes, Robert M Friedlander, and Peter C Gerszten.
• Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
• Neurosurgery. 2019 Feb 1; 84 (2): 355-361.

BackgroundPharmacological prophylaxis for venous thromboembolism (VTE) in the neurosurgical population is still a matter of debate, as the risk-to-benefit ratio is not well defined.ObjectiveTo further evaluate the risk-to-benefit ratio of VTE prophylaxis (VTEP) for all neurosurgical procedures.MethodsA prospective evaluation was performed after the initiation of a VTEP protocol for 11 436 patients undergoing neurosurgical procedures over 24 mo. Unless a bleeding complication was present, 5000 international units of subcutaneous heparin every 8 h was ordered on postoperative day (POD) 1 for spine, POD2 for cranial, and by POD4 for subdural, intracerebral, and epidural hematoma cases. Incidence of VTE and any subsequent bleeding complications were noted.ResultsA total of 70 VTEs (0.6% overall) were documented (28 deep vein thrombosis, 42 pulmonary embnolism). The highest rates of VTE were associated with deformity (6.7%); open cerebrovascular (6.5%); subdural, intracerebral, and epidural hematoma (3.2%); spinal trauma (2.4%); and craniotomy for tumor (1.6%) cases. Seven cases of deep vein thrombosis progressed to pulmonary embolisms, and 66 of 70 VTEs occurred while on pharmacological VTEP. Fifty-four bleeding complications occurred on or after POD2 following initiation of VTEP. These bleeding complications consisted of any new clinically or radiographically observed hemorrhages. Twenty-eight of the 54 delayed bleeding complications required operative intervention with 1 mortality. Forty-five patients were on anticoagulation when the initial bleeding event occurred. Overall, an estimated 0.5% incidence of delayed bleeding complications was noted with 99.4% of patients within the study cohort remaining VTE free.ConclusionThis VTEP protocol was determined to afford a good risk-to-benefit ratio for a wide variety of neurosurgical procedures.

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