Thrombophilia and Hypercoagulation: Risk Assessment and Screening

The case of a patient who originally had a laparoscopic cholecystectomy and subsequently suffered a massive thromboembolic event is presented to highlight the importance of identifying risk factors for and screening of patients with acquired and/or inherited thrombophilic defects. While the prevalence of these hypercoagulable conditions is low, failure to recognize the risks for and consequences of these states can have fatal results. This article presents the case study followed by a review of the current recommendations for the screening of hypercoagulable risks/states and how those results should or should not impact the management of patients with venous thrombotic events