Risk for deep venous thrombosis in pediatric cancer patients undergoing surgery

PurposeCancer is a well-established risk factor for deep venous thrombosis (DVT). We sought to assess the incidence of DVT in pediatric cancer patients undergoing select surgical procedures at our institution and to identify additional factors associated with DVT development.MethodsWe performed a retrospective review of cancer patients who underwent select surgical procedures and developed a DVT within 30 days of their operation from 2000 to 2018 at our institution. Catheter-associated DVTs were excluded from this analysis. Major oncologic operations were selected.ResultsFrom 2000 to 2018, 3031 major oncologic operations were performed following which 14 symptomatic DVTs occurred, for an overall incidence of 0.46%. Procedures associated with post-operative DVT included: mass biopsy (7), pulmonary wedge resection (2), inguinal lymph node excision (1), colectomy (1), nephrectomy (1), lower extremity limb-sparing revision (1), and femur resection (1).ConclusionsOur data suggest that surgery does not put children with cancer at significant risk for DVT. Given the low incidence of perioperative DVT, routine pharmacologic prophylaxis for children with cancer undergoing surgery does not seem warranted.Level of Evidence: II