A new study published in Spine examines the characteristics associated with acute development of deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism after spine surgery.
The researchers gathered data from the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program for patients undergoing spine surgery from 2005 to 2011 and recorded demographic data, medical comorbidities, surgical characteristics and complications. The data set included 27,730 patients, and 61 percent were lumbar spine procedures.
Venous thromboembolic rate was 1 percent and 0.7 percent sustained DVT. Another 0.4 percent developed PE. Characteristics associated with these complications were:
• Body mass index of 40 or above;
• 80 years old or older;
• Operative time longer than 261 minutes;
• American Society of Anesthesiologists classification of three or greater
• Male sex — associated with PE development.
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