Wound healing in acute spinal cord injury: effect of anticoagulation

Medical records were surveyed to test the impression that anticoagulation therapy administered to patients hospitalized for acute spinal cord injury impaired wound healing. Records for 25 patients with 26 wounds, located over the sacrum (21), thigh (two), occiput, heel, or buttock (one each), were reviewed. Among 11 wounds not associated with concurrent anticoagulation therapy, healing was delayed beyond 75 days in two patients. Among 15 wounds associated with anticoagulation therapy (heparin or heparin followed by coumarin derivatives), healing was delayed more than 75 days in nine patients (chi 2 = 4.53, p less than 0.05). This association of anticoagulation therapy with impaired wound healing in patients with an acute spinal cord injury suggests that this factor should be considered in future studies of wound healing.