Deep vein thrombosis risk factors

VT = deep venous thrombosis, PCB = pneumatic compression device, TEDS = TED (thromboembolic disease) Stockings®, ICH = intracerebral hemorrhage, SAH = subarachnoid hemorrhage

see Wells' Score for risk of DVT.

Despite the uniform application of mechanical DVT prophylaxis and the use of chemoprophylaxis in a majority of patients, Dermody et al found a 23% incidence of DVT in hospitalized, nonambulatory, neurosurgical patients. No patients with isolated calf DVT had an embolic complication but 13.3% progressed proximally in short-term follow-up. While chemical prophylaxis significantly reduced DVT risk, no factor was sufficiently predictive to exclude patients from screening. These data substantiate the importance of full leg venous duplex ultrasound (VDUS) screening and maximizing DVT prophylaxis in this high-risk population ¹⁾.