Chemical thromboprophylaxis before skin closure increases bleeding risk after major ventral hernia repair: A multicenter cohort study

Major ventral hernia surgeries are commonly performed. Despite guideline recommendations for chemo-thromboprophylaxis in the perioperative period, the optimal timing for its initiation is unknown. We characterized the variability in perioperative chemoprophylaxis in elective major ventral hernia surgery and determine whether timing of chemoprophylaxis affects bleeding and symptomatic venous thromboembolism. Retrospective analysis of all elective major ventral hernia surgery undertaken between January 1, 2014, and December 31, 2019, at 14 hospitals across Australia. Major bleeding was defined as the need for blood transfusion, reoperation, or >20 g/L fall in hemoglobin. Clinical venous thromboembolism was defined as imaging-proven symptomatic disease