Venous Thromboembolism After Head and Neck Cancer Surgery

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is common after major cancer surgery, and thromboprophylaxis is generally recommended. However, anticoagulants are often avoided in patients undergoing head and neck cancer surgery because these patients are thought to be at low risk for postoperative thrombosis and because of the potential for bleeding to compromise the airway.

To determine the incidence of VTE in patients after head and neck cancer surgery, investigators performed an observational study of 100 patients undergoing such operations (mean operative time, 7.2 hours). Preoperative risk assessment included clinical scoring and d-dimer measurements. Postoperatively, all patients had duplex ultrasonography on day 2 or 3. All patients wore sequential com…