Venous Thromboembolism Following Thyroid Surgery

Venous thromboembolism is viewed as a serious health care issue. Patients who experience venous thromboembolism often have an detoriorated quality of life after the event that may require anticoagulation. This results to the risks of spontaneous bleeding. Bleeding after thyroid surgery can present acutely and can lead to airway compromise and death if not recognized and treated appropriately. Whether prophylaxis in a low-risk patient puts the patient at a greater risk of developing a bleeding complication is not well documented. The literature is scarce regarding the prevalence of venous thromboembolism following thyroid and parathyroid surgery.