Risk Factors for Perioperative Deep Vein Thrombosis in Patients Undergoing Gastrointestinal Cancer Surgery

Abstract

Purpose : Patients who develop pulmonary thromboembolism following gastrointestinal cancer surgery often have a poor outcome, and the early diagnosis and prevention of deep vein thrombosis (DVT), which is a potential cause of pulmonary thromboembolism, are therefore important. Methods : Of 423 patients who underwent elective surgery for abdominal gastrointestinal cancer between June 2014 and March 2021, a retrospective investigation of perioperative DVT risk factors was conducted by reviewing the patients' characteristics and surgical factors in 228 patients who underwent preoperative venous ultrasound of the legs and 132 who underwent postoperative venous ultrasound of the legs because their postoperative D-dimer level was ≥10.0 μg/mL. Results : DVT was observed in 2.2% of the preoperative and 7.5% of the postoperative patients. Hemoglobin <10 g/dL was identified as a risk factor for preoperative DVT, and body mass index ≥30 kg/m² and intraoperative hemorrhage ≥500 mL were identified as risk factors for postoperative DVT. Conclusions : More evidence concerning perioperative DVT in Japanese patients is needed to establish a risk-score-based classification and determine the need for anticoagulant therapy.