title: National survey on thromboprophylaxis and anticoagulant or antiplatelet management in neurosurgical and neurocritical patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the protocols used by Spanish anaesthesiologists for thromboprophylaxis and anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs management in neurosurgical or neurocritical care patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  An online survey with 22 questions, with one or multiple options, launched by the Neuroscience Subcommittee of the Spanish Anaesthesia Society and available between June and October 2012.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 73 hospitals included in the National Hospitals Catalogue, a valid response to the online questionnaire was received by 41 anaesthesiologists from 37 sites (response rate 50.7%). Only one response per site was used. A specific protocol was available in 27% of these centres. Mechanical thromboprophylaxis is used, intraoperatively or postoperatively, in 80%, and pharmacological treatment is used by 75% of respondents. Enoxaparin was the most frequent heparin used in craniotomy patients (78%). Craniotomies were performed maintaining acetylsalicylic acid treatment in patients with coronary stents and double anti-platelet treatment in a half of the centres.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mechanical thromboprophylaxis is used more frequently than the pharmacological approach in neurosurgical or neurocritical populations in Spanish hospitals. Management of patients under previous anticoagulant treatment was highly heterogeneous among hospitals included in this survey. Previous antiplatelet treatment is modified depending on primary or secondary prescription.
authors: Servicio de Anestesiología, Hospital Universitario Virgen de las Nieves, Granada, España. Electronic address: evazquezalonso@gmail.com.
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Vázquez-Alonso
authors: Servicio de Anestesiología, Hospital Clínic, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, España.
authors: N
authors: N
authors: Fábregas
authors: Servicio de Anestesiología, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario Juan Canalejo, A Coruña, España.
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Rama-Maceiras
authors: Servicio de Anestesiología, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, Madrid, España.
authors: I
authors: I
authors: Ingelmo Ingelmo
authors: Servicio de Anestesiología, Hospital Clínic, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, España.
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Valero Castell
authors: Servicio de Anestesiología, Hospital Universitario de Gran Canaria Dr. Negrín, Las Palmas, España.
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Valencia Sola
authors: Servicio de Anestesiología, Hospital Universitario Cruces, Bilbao, Vizcaya, España.
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Iturri Clavero
mesh_terms: D000776:Anesthesiology / Q000379:methods*; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003422:Critical Care / Q000379:methods; D017984:Enoxaparin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D048228:Intermittent Pneumatic Compression Devices / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000379:methods; D019990:Perioperative Care / Q000379:methods*; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012307:Risk Factors; D013030:Spain; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants; D017984:Enoxaparin; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors
keywords: Antiagregantes; Antiplatelet treatment; Encuesta descriptiva; Neuroanaesthesia; Neuroanestesia; Neurocirugía; Neurosurgery; Survey; Thromboprophylaxis; Tromboprofilaxis