Thromboembolic complications after spinal surgery in trauma patients

Deep venous thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE) may be significant complications following spinal surgery. The incidence rate ranges from 0.5% to 2.5% in patients with symptomatic thromboembolic disease and up to 15% in patients with non-symptomatic thrombotic complications. We determined the incidence of symptomatic thromboembolism after spinal surgery in patients with postoperative systemic prophylaxis and investigated general and specific risk factors for development of this disease.

We analyzed the clinical records of 978 patients who had undergone surgery of the spine because of trauma and who had been admitted to our level-I trauma center between 1980 and 2004. Spinal procedures included anterior and/or posterior spinal fusion, video-assisted thoracoscopic fusion, and spinal decompression. Symptomatic thromboembolic disease was diagnosed when patients showed significant clinical signs or symptoms of DVT or PE. In cases of DVT, diagnosis was confirmed by duplex scan of the lower limbs; in cases of PE, diagnosis was confirmed by CT-scanning of the thorax or at post mortem.

The incidence rate of symptomatic thromboembolic complications was 2.2% (n 22). 17 patients showed clinical signs of deep venous thrombosis, with 4 of them developing pulmonary embolism subsequently. The other 5 patients developed pulmonary embolism without prior clinical signs of deep venous thrombosis. 6 patients died because of thromboembolic disease. Thromboembolic complications were more frequent in older patients and among males, as well as in patients with regular tobacco consumption and obesity. Thromboembolic complications were also seen more frequently in patients with surgical procedures at the lumbar spine, in patients with anterior spinal fusion, and in those with motor deficits in the lower extremities.

We found a rather low rate of clinically significant thromboembolic complications after spinal surgery because of trauma, compared to the results reported in the literature. Level of spinal surgery, surgical approach, and motor deficits in the lower extremities were identified as specific risk factors for DVT or PE. Age, sex, obesity and regular smoking were identified as general risk factors.