Symposium

Venous Thromboembolism Prevention for Patients with Non-traumatic Spinal Cord Injury Due to Cancer 1601

Corresponding Presenter(s)

• 

  Charles Mitchell, DO

  Assistant Professor of Cancer Rehabilitation
  Carolinas Rehabilitation
  Charlotte, NC, United States

  Slides

Presenter(s)

• 

  Jegy M. Tennison, MD

  Associate Professor
  The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
  Houston, Texas, United States

  Slides
• 

  Jack B. Fu, MD

  Professor
  University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
  Houston, TX, United States

  Slides

Patients hospitalized for spinal cord injury (SCI) are at a significantly increased risk of developing venous thromboembolism (VTE) in the first three months after SCI. Many professional societies have published guidelines to address VTE prevention in the general SCI population, but no clear clinical practice guidelines exist for patients who are diagnosed with a non-traumatic SCI due to cancer. This has led many oncologists and inpatient rehabilitation physicians to discharge their non-traumatic SCI patients home without any VTE chemoprophylaxis, when their risk for VTE is highest. This symposium will discuss the current practice guidelines for VTE chemoprophylaxis in the general SCI population, highlight gaps in knowledge for the cancer population, and provide commentary on the risk versus benefit of providing extended VTE chemoprophylaxis to patients with non-traumatic SCI due to cancer.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe the mechanism of action for SCI-associated VTE and cancer-associated VTE.
• List the current guidelines for VTE chemoprophylaxis in the SCI and cancer population.
• Review case examples of extended VTE chemoprophylaxis in non-traumatic SCI due to cancer.
• Discuss value in updating clinical practice guidelines for patients with non-traumatic SCI due to cancer.
• Describe the mechanism of action for SCI-associated VTE and cancer-associated VTE.