Screening for blood clots in brain surgery patients 'may be inadequate'RSS Feed

People who have suffered an acquired brain injury may be at a greater risk of suffering a blood clot during surgery because doctors are not screening patients effectively, a new study has claimed.

One of the major complications that can arise during brain surgery is a deadly blood clot in the lungs known as a pulmonary embolism.

At the moment patients are screened for blood clots in the legs to assess whether they could be likely to suffer a pulmonary embolism, as these can "break free" from the leg and travel into the lungs.

However, the study by the team from Loyola University in Chicago noted that just seven of the 22 patients they looked at who suffered a pulmonary embolism showed signs of blood clots in the legs, often referred to as deep vein thrombosis (DVT).

"We could not demonstrate a good correlation between lower extremity DVT and pulmonary embolism in our patient population," senior author of the study Dr Thomas Origitano said.

Cancer Research UK advises that the after effects of brain surgery can last for some time, with problems like dizziness, weakness and poor balance lasting for weeks or even months.

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Posted by Paul Breen

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