High incidence of postoperative silent venous thromboembolism in ulcerative colitis: a retrospective observational study

BACKGROUND: The incidence of postoperative venous thromboembolism (VTE) is high in patients with inflammatory bowel disease. We aimed to analyze the incidence and predictive factors of postoperative VTE in patients with ulcerative colitis. METHODS: Patients with ulcerative colitis who underwent colon and rectum surgery during 2010–2018 were included. We retrospectively investigated the incidence of postoperative VTE. RESULTS: A total of 140 colorectal surgery cases were included. Postoperative VTE was detected in 24 (17.1 %). Portal–mesenteric venous thrombosis was the most frequent VTE (18 cases; 75 %); of these, 15 patients underwent total proctocolectomy (TPC) with ileal pouch–anal anastomosis (IPAA). In univariate analysis, VTE occurred more frequently in patients with neoplasia than in those refractory to medications (27.2 % vs. 12.5 %; p < 0.031). TPC with IPAA was more often associated with VTE development (28 %) than total colectomy (10.5 %) or proctectomy (5.9 %). On logistic regression analysis, TPC with IPAA, total colectomy, long operation time (> 4 h), and high serum D-dimer level (> 5.3 µg/mL) on the day following surgery were identified as predictive risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: Postoperative VTE occurred frequently and asymptomatically, especially after TPC with IPAA. Serum D-dimer level on the day after surgery may be a useful predictor of VTE.