Venous Thromboembolism (VTE) Prophylaxis After Abdominoplasty and Liposuction: A Review of the Literature

Background The aim of this review article was to study recent articles and summarise the guidelines, indications, risks and benefits of using VTE prophylaxis in patients undergoing abdominoplasty and liposuction. Methods A search of PubMed was performed using selected keywords related to the topic. Based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, a total of 25 articles were included in the review. Results Abdominoplasty has the highest occurrence of VTE among aesthetic procedures. A higher incidence of VTE was noted when abdominoplasty was combined with liposuction. Circumferential procedures, obesity and HRT (hormone replacement therapy) were found to be independent risk factors for VTE. The 2005 Caprini/Davison risk assessment model is the most appropriate model for risk stratification in plastic surgery patients. Newer oral anticoagulants hold promise. Conclusions Preoperative risk stratification should be performed for all patients. Chemoprophylaxis should be considered in cases with a Caprini RAM score > 7 or in those with independent risk factors. Administering regional blocks for anaesthesia and avoiding full muscle paralysis help reduce the risk of VTE.