A Study of Pulmonary Thromboembolism after Head and Neck Surgery

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) after surgery is one of the rare but fatal complications causing sudden respiratory failure. This study was performed to evaluate PTE after head and neck surgery and to report our recent experience with review of the literature. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: We retrospectively analyzed 1096 patients who underwent head and neck surgery from January 2011 to June 2013 in a tertiary hospital. We evaluated the incidence and characteristics of PTE and risk factors of PTE such as smoking, body mass index, comorbidities, coronary artery disease, coagulation disorder and Caprini risk assessment model. RESULTS: PTE occurred in five of 1096 patients (0.46%; two were male and three were female, with a mean age of 56.2 year). All patients with PTE were categorized into high risk group of PTE by Caprini model. The mean Caprini risk score were 6.6 and 4.6 in the PTE patients and non-PTE patients, respectively. The significant risk factors were long operative time, cancer patients and high Caprini score in this study. One PTE patient underwent cardiopulmonary resuscitation due to respiratory arrest, afterwards received thromboembolectomy by thoracotomy. Four patients received anticoagulation therapy only. CONCLUSION: Risk stratification for PTE is necessary in patients who receive long operation for head and neck cancer or have high Caprini score.