Help Watch for Antithrombotics Around Regional Anesthesia

You can improve safety when patients on antithrombotics need regional anesthesia.

Regional anesthesia numbs a large, specific area of the body. This is often done during childbirth (spinal or epidural anesthesia) or other surgical procedures (orthopedic, abdominal, etc).

Holding antithrombotics around regional anesthesia is important because they can increase risk for hematomas (a collection of blood outside a blood vessel). This is rare...but may cause paralysis.