Thromboembolic Complications Following Spine Surgery Assessed with Spiral CT Scans: DVT/PE Following Spine Surgery. Academic Article uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • Spine surgery is associated with a significant risk of postoperative pulmonary embolism (PE) and/or deep vein thrombosis (DVT). The goal of this study was to determine which symptoms and risk factors were associated with spiral CT scans positive for PE and/or DVT in the postoperative spine surgery patient. We conducted a retrospective review of all spine patients who underwent a postoperative CT to rule out PE during the period of March 2004-February 2006. The type of surgical procedure, risk factors, symptoms prompting scan ordering, anticoagulation, and treatment were recorded. Logistic regression models were used to determine significant predictors of a positive CT in this patient population. Of the 3,331 patients that had spine surgery during the study period, 130 (3.9%) had a spiral CT scan to rule out PE and/or proximal DVT. Thirty-three of the 130 (25.4%) CT scans were positive for PE only, five (3.8%) for PE and DVT, and three (2.3%) for DVT only. Only 24.5% (32) patients had risk factors for thromboembolic disease, and of these, a history of PE and/or DVT was the only significant risk factor for a positive scan (p = 0.03). No presenting symptoms or demographic variables were noted to have a significant association with PE and/or DVT. The type of surgical procedure (i.e., anterior, posterior, and percutaneous) was not associated with an increased risk for PE and/or DVT. Patients who are undergoing spine surgery with a history of thromboembolic disease should be carefully monitored postoperatively and may benefit from more aggressive prophylaxis.

publication date

  • August 4, 2010

Identity

PubMed Central ID

  • PMC3026105

Scopus Document Identifier

  • 0033866339

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1302/0301-620X.82B6.9869

PubMed ID

  • 22294955

Additional Document Info

volume

  • 7

issue

  • 1