Venous Thromboembolism-Related Readmission in Emergency General Surgery Patients: A Role for Prophylaxis on Discharge?

Abstract

Background: Patients undergoing emergency general surgery (EGS) operations experience high rates of venous thromboembolism (VTE). The rates at which thrombus formation occurs after discharge, and whether VTE prophylaxis at discharge might be warranted to prevent readmission, are unknown. This analysis aimed to determine risk factors associated with VTE formation after discharge for EGS operations.

Study design: An analysis of the American College of Surgeons NSQIP database from 2013 and 2014 of patients undergoing 10 common EGS operations in an emergent fashion. Multivariable logistic regression modeling was used to determine factors that predicted VTE after discharge.

Results: A total of 130,036 patients were included. The 30-day VTE rate was 1.30%, with 35% of all VTEs occurring after discharge. Of those who had VTE develop after discharge, 69.4% required readmission. Predictive factors for post-discharge VTE included prolonged length of stay (odds ratio [OR] 5.25; p < 0.001), presence of metastatic cancer (OR 2.23; p < 0.001), urinary tract infection (OR 1.91; p < 0.001), and postoperative sepsis (OR 1.55; p < 0.001). Identified high-risk groups had a rate of readmission with thrombus 6 times greater than that of average-risk EGS patients.

Conclusions: More than 30% of VTEs in the EGS population occur after discharge; of these, a vast majority require readmission. Select high-risk EGS subgroups might benefit from prophylactic anticoagulation at discharge.