Preoperative screening of thromboembolism using plasma D-dimer test and proximal vein compression ultrasonography in Japanese gynecologic patients

BACKGROUND: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a serious complication of surgery, including gynecologic surgery. The plasma D-dimer test and proximal/distal vein compression ultrasonography are frequently used as an easy, preoperative VTE screening method. However, targeted patients for these two examinations have not been established. PATIENTS/METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 380 gynecologic surgical patients who underwent preoperative VTE screening including the plasma D-dimer test and proximal/distal vein compression ultrasonography from March 2014 to February 2015. All patients underwent laparotomy or laparoscopy. In patients with a high risk of pulmonary thromboembolism, compression ultrasonography was substituted by or combined with contrast-enhanced computed tomography. With regard to D-dimer level, patients were divided to three groups: D-dimer level ≤0.5 μg/mL (group A), D-dimer level between 0.6 and 0.9 μg/mL (group B), and D-dimer level ≥ 1.0 μg/mL (group C). RESULTS: Twenty-seven cases had preoperatively detected VTE. Three patients in group B with benign disease were diagnosed with VTE before surgery. Among benign patients in group B, there was a significant difference in preoperative VTE occurrence between patients without risk factors (0/68 cases) and those with risk factors (3/54 cases). All 11 patients with benign disease having preoperative VTE had one or more risk factors. CONCLUSION: Even in benign cases with low preoperative D-dimer levels (0.6–0.9 μg/mL), an imaging test should be added when the patient has one or more VTE risk factors.