Splenic Artery Angioembolization is Associated with Increased Venous Thromboembolism.

A total of 2643 patients met inclusion criteria (69.1% Grade III, 26.5% Grade IV, 4.5% Grade V). The incidence of DVT was 4.5% in patients who underwent angioembolization, compared to 1.4% in patients who did not (p<0.001). Multivariable analysis showed that angioembolization was an independent risk factor for both DVT (OR 2.65, p = 0.006) and any VTE (OR 2.04, p = 0.01). Analysis according to splenic injury Grades showed that angioembolization remained an independent risk factor for DVT (p = 0.004) in the Grade IV-V injury group, and for VTE (p<0.01) in the Grade III injury group. Initiation of pharmacological VTE prophylaxis 48 h after admission was associated with increased VTE rates in comparison to early initiation (OR 1.75, p = 0.02) CONCLUSIONS: Splenic artery angioembolization may be an independent risk factor for VTE events in isolated, severe blunt splenic trauma managed nonoperatively. Early prophylaxis with LMWH after intervention should be strongly considered.