title: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis   and urological pelvic cancer surgery: a UK   national audit.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the use of post-discharge venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis in UK pelvic cancer centres consistent with national guidelines.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data was collected from healthcare professionals from 64 UK pelvic cancer centres.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After radical cystectomy (RC), all cancer centres routinely use low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) in the perioperative period. After RC 67% of cancer centres use post-discharge LMWH routinely. After radical prostatectomy (RP), 98% of units use perioperative LMWH VTE prophylaxis routinely. After RP, 61% of hospitals always use post-discharge LMWH. In all, 27% of all UK cancer centres reported deaths or serious VTE complications from urological pelvic cancer surgery in the last 2 years.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) issued explicit guidance of VTE prophylaxis after pelvic and abdominal cancer surgery. Conversion of national guidance into local policy is ≈60% for UK pelvic cancer centres. A lack of good quality evidence is cited as a reason for not adhering to NICE guidance.
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pridgeon
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Allchorne
authors.forename: Bruce
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Turner
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Peters
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Green
mesh_terms: D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D054869:Clinical Audit; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D019983:Guideline Adherence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006495:Heparin, Low-Molecular-Weight / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D018579:Patient Selection; D010386:Pelvic Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D018570:Risk Assessment; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology; D013520:Urologic Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000401:mortality; D054556:Venous Thromboembolism / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants; D006495:Heparin, Low-Molecular-Weight