When doing a blog on another topic, the risk for a blood clot after surgery statistically increased with an Elixhauser Comorbidity score over 3. What is this score? What does it mean?
Anytime you are doing elective surgery we care a ton about RISK. We want to know you are going to have a successful surgery with no complications.
The Elixhauser score is discussed a fair amount in other surgical specialties like orthopedic surgery and cardiac surgery. In this score, you get points for what we call “comorbidities,” which in English means you have medical issues. Some of them are things you could guess (like heart failure). Others are ones which may not be obvious (like depression). It is based on 29 different issues.
What are the questions?
Congestive heart failure
Cardiac arrhythmias
Valvular disease
Pulmonary circulation disorders
Peripheral vascular disorders
Hypertension
Paralysis
Neurodegenerative disorders
Chronic pulmonary disease
Diabetes
Hypothyroidism
Renal failure
Liver disease
Peptic ulcer disease, no bleeding
AIDS/HIV
Lymphoma
Metastatic cancer
Solid tumor without metastasis
Rheumatoid arthritis/collagen vascular diseases
Coagulopathy
Obesity
Weight loss
Fluid and electrolyte disorders
Blood loss anemia
Deficiency anemia
Alcohol abuse
Drug abuse
Psychosis
Depression
My thoughts?
As with all things, this is another evaluation tool for us to use to stratify risk. I also for older patients like them to look at the frailty index. For frailty index click HERE