Extended vs Inpatient Chemoprophylaxis for Venous Thromboembolism in DIEP Flap Breast Reconstruction: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a significant complication following deep inferior epigastric artery perforator (DIEP) flap breast reconstruction. The optimal duration of chemoprophylaxis remains debated, with differing recommendations on short-term chemoprophylaxis (STC) versus long-term chemoprophylaxis (LTC) for VTE prevention. This systematic review and meta-analysis compared the efficacy and safety of STC versus LTC in preventing VTE and hematoma in patients undergoing DIEP flap reconstruction. Four studies with a total of 1114 patients were included, with no significant differences in patient characteristics, including Caprini scores, between the STC and LTC groups. The pooled incidence of VTE was 1.83%, with 2.19% in the STC group and 1.33% in the LTC group, yielding a risk ratio (RR) of 1.42 for STC compared to LTC, though this was not statistically significant (p=0.62). The mean incidence of hematoma was 8.65%, with 8.32% in the STC group and 9.02% in the LTC group, resulting in an RR of 0.78 for STC compared to LTC, which was also not statistically significant (p=0.62). These findings suggest that extending chemoprophylaxis beyond hospitalization does not significantly reduce VTE incidence and underscores the importance of individualized risk-based anticoagulation strategies. Future studies are necessary to further refine guidelines for chemoprophylaxis duration in this population, balancing the risks of VTE and anticoagulation-related complications to optimize patient outcomes.