Venous Thromboembolism in Brain Tumor Patients

Abstract

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a common medical condition, particularly after surgical interventions. Many studies have shown that development of VTE, including both deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE), is more common in surgical patients with cancer than in patients without cancer. This chapter focuses on VTE in brain tumor patients, including their pathogenesis, presentation, diagnosis, and treatment. Topics discussed included a brief overview of VTE followed by an in-depth discussion of the VTE risks brain tumor patients face in the post-operative period. We conclude with a summary of various recommendations on VTE prophylaxis and a discussion of the controversial nature of VTE chemoprophylaxis for patients undergoing transcranial operations for brain tumors.

Keywords: Anti-coagulation; Brain surgery; Brain tumors; Deep venous thrombosis; Neurosurgery; Prophylaxis; Pulmonary embolism; Thromboprophylaxis; Venous thromboembolism.