Perioperative Antithrombotic Therapy Management and Venous Thromboembolism Prophylaxis

The management of perioperative anticoagulation, antiplatelet therapy, and perioperative venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis is essentially a balancing act between patient risk factors for thrombosis and surgical risk factors for bleeding. The purpose of this review is to assist surgeons with the identification of patients at increased risk for thromboembolism when antithrombotic therapy is interrupted, patients for whom bridging anticoagulation should be considered, patients who require perioperative VTE prophylaxis, and patients at increased risk for bleeding complications and to briefly review the literature and major guidelines regarding perioperative antithrombotic therapy management and perioperative VTE prophylaxis. Figures show approaches to the management of perioperative anticoagulation, antiplatelet therapy, and VTE prophylaxis.  This review contains 2 figures, 7 tables, and 61 references. Keywords: Venous thromboembolism, pulmonary embolism, anticoagulation, surgery, perioperative period, prophylaxis