Is failure to provide venous thromboprophylaxis negligent?

2007 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 186-191 ◽  
Author(s):  
J R H Scurr ◽  
J H Scurr

Objectives: To report the outcome of 100 consecutive medicolegal claims referred to one of the authors (1990–2003) following the development of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in surgical patients. Methods: A retrospective analysis of the experience of a vascular surgeon acting as an expert witness in the United Kingdom. Results: Prophylaxis had been provided to 43 claimants with risk factors, who, unfortunately, still developed a VTE and alleged negligence. Twenty-nine claims involved patients who had not received prophylaxis because they were at low risk. In 25/28 claims where no prophylaxis was provided, despite identifiable VTE risk factors, the claim was successful. Claimants who developed a VTE that had been managed incorrectly were successful whether they had received prophylaxis or not. Settlement amounts, where disclosed, are reported. Conclusions: Failure to perform a risk assessment and to provide appropriate venous thromboprophylaxis in surgical patients is considered negligent. Clinicians looking after all hospitalized patients who are not assessing their patients' risk for VTE and/or not providing appropriate prophylaxis are at risk of being accused of negligence.

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 36 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bui My Hanh ◽  
Le Quang Cuong ◽  
Nguyen Truong Son ◽  
Duong Tuan Duc ◽  
Tran Tien Hung ◽  
...  

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a frequent preventable complication among surgical patients. Precise risk assessment is a necessary step for providing appropriate thromboprophylaxis and reducing mortality as well as morbidity caused by VTE. We carried out this work to define the rate of VTE postoperatively, following a Caprini score, and to determine VTE risk factors through a modified Caprini risk scoring system. This multicenter, observational, cohort study involved 2,790,027 patients who underwent surgery in four Vietnamese hospitals from 01/2017 to 12/2018. All patients who were evaluated before surgery by using a Caprini risk assessment model (RAM) and monitored within 90 days after surgery. The endpoint of the study was ultrasound-confirmed VTE. Our data showed that the 90-day postoperative VTE was found in 3068 patients. Most of VTE (46.97%) cases were found in the highest risk group (Caprini score > 5). A total of 37.19% were observed in the high risk group, while the rest (15.84%) were from low to moderate risk groups. The likelihood of occurring VTE was heightened 2.83 times for patients with a Caprini score of 3–4, 4.83 times for a Caprini score of 5–6, 8.84 times for a score of 7–8, and 11.42 times for a score of >8, comparing to ones with a score of 0 to 2 (all p values < 0.05). Thus, the frequency of postoperative VTE rises substantially, according to the advanced Caprini score. Further categorizing patients among the highest risk group need delivering more appropriate thromboprophylaxis.


Blood ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 121 (19) ◽  
pp. 3953-3961 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alyshah Abdul Sultan ◽  
Laila J. Tata ◽  
Joe West ◽  
Linda Fiaschi ◽  
Kate M. Fleming ◽  
...  

Key Points Antepartum, we found that established risk factors only had a modest effect on rates of VTE. Postpartum, we found that among other factors, women with stillbirth or preterm birth had high rates of VTE.


2010 ◽  
Vol 151 (34) ◽  
pp. 1365-1374 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marianna Dávid ◽  
Hajna Losonczy ◽  
Miklós Udvardy ◽  
Zoltán Boda ◽  
György Blaskó ◽  
...  

A kórházban kezelt sebészeti és belgyógyászati betegekben jelentős a vénásthromboembolia-rizikó. Profilaxis nélkül, a műtét típusától függően, a sebészeti beavatkozások kapcsán a betegek 15–60%-ában alakul ki mélyvénás trombózis vagy tüdőembólia, és az utóbbi ma is vezető kórházi halálok. Bár a vénás thromboemboliát leggyakrabban a közelmúltban végzett műtéttel vagy traumával hozzák kapcsolatba, a szimptómás thromboemboliás események 50–70%-a és a fatális tüdőembóliák 70–80%-a nem a sebészeti betegekben alakul ki. Nemzetközi és hazai felmérések alapján a nagy kockázattal rendelkező sebészeti betegek többsége megkapja a szükséges trombózisprofilaxist. Azonban profilaxis nélkül marad a rizikóval rendelkező belgyógyászati betegek jelentős része, a konszenzuson alapuló nemzetközi és hazai irányelvi ajánlások ellenére. A belgyógyászati betegek körében növelni kell a profilaxisban részesülők arányát és el kell érni, hogy trombózisrizikó esetén a betegek megkapják a hatásos megelőzést. A beteg trombóziskockázatának felmérése fontos eszköze a vénás thromboembolia által veszélyeztetett betegek felderítésének, megkönnyíti a döntést a profilaxis elrendeléséről és javítja az irányelvi ajánlások betartását. A trombózisveszély megállapításakor, ha nem ellenjavallt, profilaxist kell alkalmazni. „A thromboemboliák kockázatának csökkentése és kezelése” című, 4. magyar antithromboticus irányelv felhívja a figyelmet a vénástrombózis-rizikó felmérésének szükségességére, és elsőként tartalmazza a kórházban fekvő belgyógyászati és sebészeti betegek kockázati kérdőívét. Ismertetjük a kockázatbecslő kérdőíveket és áttekintjük a kérdőívekben szereplő rizikófaktorokra vonatkozó bizonyítékokon alapuló adatokat.


2021 ◽  
Vol 49 (5) ◽  
pp. 030006052110155
Author(s):  
Brian W Johnston ◽  
David Perry ◽  
Martyn Habgood ◽  
Miland Joshi ◽  
Anton Krige

Objective Augmented renal clearance (ARC) is associated with sub-therapeutic antibiotic, anti-epileptic, and anticoagulant serum concentrations leading to adverse patient outcomes. We aimed to describe the prevalence and associated risk factors for ARC development in a large, single-centre cohort in the United Kingdom. Methods We conducted a retrospective observational study of critically unwell patients admitted to intensive care between 2014 and 2016. Urinary creatinine clearance was used to determine the ARC prevalence during the first 7 days of admission. Repeated measures logistic regression was used to determine risk factors for ARC development. Results The ARC prevalence was 47.0% (95% confidence interval [95%CI]: 44.3%–49.7%). Age, sex, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II score, and sepsis diagnosis were significantly associated with ARC. ARC was more prevalent in younger vs. older (odds ratio [OR] 0.95 [95%CI: 0.94–0.96]), male vs. female (OR 0.32 [95%CI: 0.26–0.40]) patients with lower vs. higher APACHE II scores (OR 0.94 [95%CI: 0.92–0.96]). Conclusions This patient group probably remains unknown to many clinicians because measuring urinary creatinine clearance is not usually indicated in this group. Clinicians should be aware of the ARC risk in this group and consider measurement of urinary creatinine clearance.


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