[Thromboembolic risk and prevention of deep venous thrombosis in open and laparoscopic surgery]

Abstract

Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism are the dangerous and serious complications in patients undergoing surgery. It is known that prognosis is strictly linked to timely recognition of the pathogenetic-clinical phase of the thromboembolic disease and that prevention, therefore, plays the leading role in patients at risk. The most recent series show that, in absence of prophylaxis, the frequency of DVT, diagnosed by objective tests, is still significant in abdominal surgery. Modern diagnostic tools make possible to identify relatively silent clinical thrombosis, also with laboratory tests (i.e., D-dimer plasma levels). The Authors report a study on thromboembolic episodes in patients who underwent pneumoperitoneum with CO2 during laparoscopic abdominal surgery, compared to a control group submitted to open surgery. They underline the importance of a careful preoperative evaluation of the venous system, by Doppler study, in order to identify, patients at risk of DVT and establish a suitable anti-thrombotic prophylaxis.