title: Stratifying the risk of venous thromboembolism in otolaryngology.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The consequences of perioperative venous thromboembolism (VTE) are devastating; identifying patients at risk is an essential step in reducing morbidity and mortality. The utility of perioperative VTE risk assessment in otolaryngology is unknown. This study was designed to risk-stratify a diverse population of otolaryngology patients for VTE events.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective cohort study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Single-institution academic tertiary care medical center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adult patients presenting for otolaryngologic surgery requiring hospital admission from 2003 to 2010 who did not receive VTE chemoprophylaxis were included. The Caprini risk assessment was retrospectively scored via a validated method of electronic chart abstraction. Primary study variables were Caprini risk scores and the incidence of perioperative venous thromboembolic outcomes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 2016 patients were identified. The overall 30-day rate of VTE was 1.3%. The incidence of VTE in patients with a Caprini risk score of 6 or less was 0.5%. For patients with scores of 7 or 8, the incidence was 2.4%. Patients with a Caprini risk score greater than 8 had an 18.3% incidence of VTE and were significantly more likely to develop a VTE when compared to patients with a Caprini risk score less than 8 (P < .001). The mean risk score for patients with VTE (7.4) was significantly higher than the risk score for patients without VTE (4.8) (P < .001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Caprini risk assessment model effectively risk-stratifies otolaryngology patients for 30-day VTE events and allows otolaryngologists to identify patient subgroups who have a higher risk of VTE in the absence of chemoprophylaxis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA. shumana@umich.edu
authors.forename: Andrew G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Shuman
authors.forename: Hsou Mei
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Christopher J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Pannucci
authors.forename: Christopher R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Jackson
authors.forename: Carol R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Bradford
authors.forename: Vinita
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bahl
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D013517:Otorhinolaryngologic Surgical Procedures; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D012307:Risk Factors; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D054556:Venous Thromboembolism / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*