Commentary: “To Bleed or to Breathe? Never a Time to Die”

After lung cancer resections a postoperative venous thromboembolism (VTE) increases the perioperative mortality rate nearly eight-fold.1 Chemoprophylaxis with unfractionated or low molecular weight heparin is routine for thoracic patients and internationally recognized as an intervention to reduce postoperative VTE in cancer patients.2 It is within the standard of care for surgeons to forego the preoperative heparin and use intermittent pneumatic compression devices alone for patients undergoing resections if deemed at high risk for bleeding.

Source: Seminars in Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery - February 12, 2020 Category: Cardiovascular & Thoracic Surgery Authors: Virginia R. Litle Tags: THORACIC – Commentary Source Type: research