A podcast discussing the risk of blood clots after caesarean delivery has been made available.
In the podcast, Peter Cherouny, MD, emeritus professor, obstetrics, gynaecology, and reproductive sciences, University of Vermont; chair and lead faculty of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement Perinatal Improvement Community, discusses why all women who undergo caesarean delivery are at risk of VTE.
Dr Cherouny cited data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) which shows that the maternal death rate in the U.S. has more than doubled since 1987.
To help prevent VTE, Cherouny recommends that "all patients having a caesarean delivery should have pneumatic compression devices placed prior to surgery."
Pneumatic compression therap, such as fitting inflatable compression devices on a patient's legs before cesarean delivery and using inflatable compression sleeves until the patient is able to walk after delivery , improves blood flow in the treated area, which reduces the opportunity for VTE to occur.
"I would encourage clinicians and families to watch the podcast," said Michael Wong, JD, executive director, Physician-Patient Alliance for Health & Safety. "The birth of a child is an event that is anticipated and celebrated by family and friends. Mothers may develop VTE at or around the birth of their children, such as Amber Scott who suffered a blood clot in her brain and has had to undergo more than a year of rehabilitation, and Amee VanTassell, who died from a blood clot four days after delivering her daughter via cesarean section at the age of 36.
The podcast is available at the Physician-Patient Alliance For Heath & Safety YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLKvAYZkd6rZRkvy7V8ldhA/
On iTunes, the podcast is available at https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/peter-cherouny-on-venous-thromboembolism/id897887688?i=338029261&mt=2
Risk Management, US, Peter Cherouny, IT and Data Security, Michael Wong, Physician-Patient Alliance For Heath & Safety
