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Bleeding Complications in Patients Undergoing Celiac Plexus Block
Nafisseh S Warner1, Susan M Moeschler, Matthew A Warner
1From the *Department of Anesthesiology, †Division of Pain Medicine, and Departments of ‡Neurology and §Critical Care Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN.
Insights
Celiac plexus blocks (CPB) can be safely performed in patients taking aspirin or NSAIDs. This study found no significant increase in bleeding complications in patients on these medications.
Area of Science:
- Pain Medicine
- Interventional Radiology
Background:
- Celiac plexus blockade (CPB) carries risks like bleeding and neurologic injury due to proximity to vital structures.
- Preprocedural antiplatelet medication use and coagulation status are key factors influencing CPB safety.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the incidence of bleeding complications in patients undergoing CPB.
- To evaluate the impact of preprocedural antiplatelet medication and coagulation status on CPB-related bleeding.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective study of adult patients undergoing CPB from 2005-2014.
- Primary outcome: red blood cell (RBC) transfusion within 72 hours.
- Secondary outcome: bleeding complications requiring specialist evaluation within 31 days.
Main Results:
- 402 procedures on 298 patients; 14.4% received aspirin/NSAIDs preoperatively.
- RBC transfusion rate was 1.2% (5 patients), with only one on preprocedure NSAIDs.
- No bleeding complications required emergency, neurology, or neurosurgical evaluation.
Conclusions:
- CPBs can be safely performed in patients on aspirin and/or NSAID therapy.
- The study did not identify increased bleeding risks associated with these medications.
Background And Objectives:
Celiac plexus blockade has known risks including bleeding and neurologic injury because of the close proximity of vascular and neuraxial structures. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of bleeding complications in patients undergoing celiac plexus block (CPB), with an emphasis on preprocedural antiplatelet medication use and coagulation status.
Methods:
This is a retrospective study from 2005 to 2014 of adult patients undergoing CPB by the pain medicine division at a tertiary care center. The primary outcome was red blood cell (RBC) transfusion within 72 hours of needle placement, with a secondary outcome of bleeding complications requiring emergency medicine, neurology, or neurosurgical evaluation within 31 days.
Results:
A total of 402 procedures were performed on 298 unique patients, with 58 patients (14.4%) receiving aspirin or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) preoperatively. Five patients (1.2%) received RBC transfusion within 72 hours, of which one had received preprocedure NSAIDs. A platelet count measured within 30 days was available for 268 patients, with 7 patients (2.6%) having platelet counts of 100 × 10/L or less at the time of needle placement. A total of 187 patients had a valid preoperative international normalized ratio (INR), with 9 (4.8%) having an INR of 1.5 or higher (range, 1.5-2.6). One patient (11.1%) required RBC transfusion compared with an RBC transfusion rate of 2.3% (4 of 178) in those with normal INR (P = 0.221). We identified no bleeding complications requiring emergency medicine, neurology, or neurosurgical evaluation.
Conclusions:
This study suggests that CPBs may be safely performed in patients receiving aspirin and/or NSAID therapy.
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