Venous thromboembolism in trauma patients

Abstract

Venous thromboembolism is common in patients with multiple injuries. In addition to having endothelial injury, trauma patients are hypercoagulable and are often confined to bed, thus placing them at high risk for venous thromboembolic events. Duplex ultrasonography and impedance plethysmography are the most practical modalities to screen trauma patients for the presence of DVT. At present, there do not appear to be any effective means of preventing DVT in trauma patients, although low molecular weight heparin appears promising. In particularly high-risk patients vena cava filters have been used safely and effectively to prevent PE.