29. Early postoperative anticoagulation after spinal fracture surgery decreases venous thromboembolism rates

Prophylactic anticoagulation effectively lowers venous thromboembolism (VTE) after operative treatment of spinal fractures. Optimal initiation has not been fully described. Early anticoagulation has been presumed to increase bleeding and wound complications. In 2017, our institutional protocol began initiating VTE chemoprophylaxis 72 hours after operative spinal fixation.
Source: The Spine Journal - Category: Orthopaedics Authors: Source Type: research