title: Preventing thromboembolic complications in cancer patients after surgery: a role for prolonged thromboprophylaxis.
abstract: Patients undergoing major abdominal surgery for malignancy are at particularly high risk of developing VTE. Extra protection against this can be given to patients with cancer by using a higher dose of LMWH than normally used for prophylaxis, with no increase in bleeding complications. Despite thromboprophylaxis with high-dose LMWH for the first postoperative week, the rate of late VTE is estimated to be between 10% and 20%. A meta-analysis of two studies using dalteparin or enoxaparin has shown that prolonging thromboprophylaxis for a further 3 weeks significantly reduces the risk of late occurring VTE by 62%. Thromboprophylaxis with LMWH for at least one month should be considered in patients undergoing surgery for malignant disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Gastroenterology, Bispebjerg Hospital, Bispebjerg Bakke 23, DK-2400 Copenhagen NV, Denmark. msr@dadlnet.dk
authors.forename: Morten S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Rasmussen
mesh_terms: D000005:Abdomen / Q000601:surgery; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006495:Heparin, Low-Molecular-Weight / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013923:Thromboembolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D020246:Venous Thrombosis / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants; D006495:Heparin, Low-Molecular-Weight