Professional Statements and Societal Positions Guidelines
American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP) - 2012
Guidance on Determining High Risk for Bleeding American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP) 2012 guidelines on prevention of VTE in orthopedic surgery individuals list the following general risk factors for bleeding:
- Previous major bleeding (and previous bleeding risk similar to current risk)
- Severe renal failure
- Concomitant antiplatelet agent Surgical factors: history of or difficult-to-control surgical bleeding during the current operative procedure, extensive surgical dissection, and revision surgery
The guidelines note, however, that is specific thresholds for using mechanical compression devices or no prophylaxis instead of anticoagulant thromboprophylaxis have not been established.
Guidance on Risk Level for Individuals Undergoing Non-orthopedic Surgery
The 2012 ACCP guidelines on prevention of VTE in non-orthopedic surgery individuals included the following discussion of risk levels: 'In individuals undergoing general and abdominal-pelvic surgery, the risk of VTE varies depending on both individual-specific and procedure-specific factors. Examples of relatively low-risk procedures include laparoscopic cholecystectomy, appendectomy, transurethral prostatectomy, inguinal herniorrhaphy, and unilateral or bilateral mastectomy. Open abdominal and open-pelvic procedures are associated with a higher risk of VTE. VTE risk appears to be highest for individuals undergoing abdominal or pelvic surgery for cancer...'
'Independent risk factors include age at least 60 years, prior VTE, and cancer; age greater than 60 years, prior VTE, anesthesia at least two (2) hours, and bed rest at least four (4) days; older age, male sex, longer length of hospital stay, and higher Charlson comorbidity score; and sepsis, pregnancy or postpartum state, central venous access, malignancy, prior VTE, and inpatient hospital stay more than two (2) days. In another study, most of the moderate to strong independent risk factors for VTE were surgical complications, including urinary tract infection, acute renal insufficiency, postoperative transfusion, perioperative myocardial infarction, and pneumonia'.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG 2007, reaffirmed 2021) proposed the following risk classification for VTE in individuals undergoing major gynecological surgery:
- Low:
Surgery lasting less than 30 minutes in individuals younger than 40 years with no additional risk factors.
- Moderate:
Surgery lasting less than 30 minutes in individuals with additional risk factors; surgery lasting less than 30 minutes in individuals age 40 to 60 years with no additional risk factors; major surgery in individuals younger than 40 years with no additional risk factors.
- High:
Surgery lasting less than 30 minutes in individuals older than 60 years or with additional risk factors; major surgery in individuals older than 40 years or with additional risk factors.
- Highest:
Major surgery in individuals older than 60 years plus prior venous thromboembolism, cancer, or molecular hypercoagulable state.
American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) - 2019
Guidance for Individuals with Cancer
In 2019, the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) released updates to the clinical practice guideline on VTE prophylaxis and treatment in individuals with cancer. The guideline makes the following recommendation for mechanical prophylaxis in this individual population:
- 'Mechanical methods may be added to pharmacologic thromboprophylaxis but should not be used as monotherapy for VTE prevention unless pharmacologic methods are contraindicated because of active bleeding or high bleeding risk.'
- 'A combined regimen of pharmacologic and mechanical prophylaxis may improve efficacy, especially in the highest-risk individuals.'
