Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 1, 2026

Catheter Ablation in Combination With Left Atrial Appendage Closure for Atrial Fibrillation
Published on: February 26, 2013
[Should we give up combining spinal anesthesia and anticoagulants?]
1Département d'Anesthésie-Réanimation (Pr Coriat), Groupe Hospitalier, Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris.
Abstract:
The risk of lumbar haematoma potentially increased by the association of regional anaesthesia and anticoagulant treatment has been widely debated. Few data are available in order to estimate the level of this risk, which is probably very low. However, even if it is now clear that regional anaesthesia is not potent enough to prevent postoperative deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a partial decrease in the DVT rate between 30 and 40% has been observed. Furthermore, no randomized double blind study has established the usefulness of the preoperative injection of heparin. Accordingly, when it is possible, it is best to avoid the preoperative injection and to start heparin treatment postoperatively. This solution is safe and effective.
Related Concept Videos
Local Anesthetics: Clinical Application as Spinal Anesthesia
Local Anesthetics: Clinical Application as Epidural Anesthesia
Since epidural anesthetics can be infused through an epidural catheter, all types of drugs, including short-acting ones, can be administered. Chloroprocaine and lidocaine are examples of short and long-duration anesthetics, respectively. Bupivacaine...
Local Anesthetics: Clinical Application as Intravenous Regional Anesthesia
One of the advantages of...
Anticoagulant Drugs: Low-Molecular-Weight Heparins
Anticoagulant Drugs: Vitamin K Antagonists and Direct Oral Anticoagulants
Warfarin, a prominent vitamin K antagonist family member, exerts its effect by inhibiting the enzyme VKORC1 (vitamin K epoxide reductase complex 1). By hindering this enzyme, warfarin...
Venous Thrombosis III: Interprofessional Care

