Highlights
- •Is Severe Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) a Risk Factor for the Development of Pulmonary Embolism?
- •Why severe TBI is a risk factor for the development of PE?
- •What is the true incidence of PE in the context of severe TBI?
- •What are the implications that PE does have in severe TBI?
- •Should all severe TBI patients receive prophylaxis for DVT and PE?
Abstract
Introduction
Pulmonary emboli (PE) is a significant source of morbidity and mortality in the trauma
patients. The use of chemical prophylaxis to prevent deep venous thrombosis and subsequent
PE is still controversial given its risk of increased intracranial hemorrhage expansion.
Objective
In the present study, we evaluated the incidence of PE in severe traumatic brain injury.
Methods
Retrospective review of patients who were admitted to a Neurosurgery unit from 2011
to 2013 with severe TBI who developed PE.
Results
155 patients met the study criteria. The incidence of PE was 2.58%. The cohort was
mainly composed of white (71.6%), male (76.77%) with the mean age of 23.03 ± 15.79.
There was no statistical difference between the patients who developed PE with prophylaxis
and without (p = 0.58). Hospital length of stay was significantly increased by the
development of a PE (27.82 ± 21.78 vs. 61.24 ± 25.74 days, p = 0.01).
Conclusion
Our data is limited by a low incidence of PE in this cohort, but does show an increased
hospital length of stay. The true incidence of PE is unknown, so large-scale population
studies are urgently needed and a high index of suspicion is required for diagnosis.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: August 25, 2018
Accepted:
August 13,
2018
Received:
May 2,
2018
Identification
Copyright
© 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
