Procedure-specific Risks of Thrombosis and Bleeding in Abdominal Surgery Vary Significantly

This systematic review and meta-analysis of 285 studies, including over 8 million patients, evaluated the procedure-specific risks of symptomatic venous thromboembolism (VTE) and major bleeding in general abdominal, colorectal, upper gastrointestinal, and hepatopancreatobiliary surgeries. The risk of VTE varied widely among procedures, with VTE rates ranging from <0.1% in laparoscopic cholecystectomy to 10.0% in emergency open total proctocolectomy. Thromboprophylaxis provided a net benefit in reducing VTE but was associated with a small increase in bleeding in some procedures, emphasizing the need for individualized risk prediction and patient preferences.