International journal of surgery
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Multicenter Study
Optimal dosing of bemiparin as prophylaxis against venous thromboembolism in surgery for cancer: an audit of practice.
Low-molecular-weight heparins are drugs of first choice for thromboprophylaxis in cancer surgery. We sought to determine the optimal use of bemiparin in cancer surgery in standard clinical practice. ⋯ Many cancer patients are still poorly assessed for risk of VTE. Bemiparin 3500 IU/d is associated with a lower incidence of VTE without significant increase in complications as compared with bemiparin 2500 IU/d. Postoperative bemiparin prophylaxis seems to be as effective and safer than preoperative start of prophylaxis. Further prospective clinical studies are needed to fully address this issue.