Case report Oral contraceptives use increases venous thromboembolic risk even for minor surgical procedure – a case report

Abstract

A case of a 25-year-old woman with life-threatening pulmonary embolism, which occurred on fourth day after appendectomy and was safely treated with alteplase infusion. Before surgery, oral contraceptive use history, as a sole venous thromboembolic risk factor has been missed and the patient did not receive perioperative, pharmacologic antithrombotic prophylaxis. Further screening for thrombophilia was negative. This case proves that contraceptives use may create, irrespectively of the woman age, a possibility of perioperative thromboembolic complications, even for such minor procedure as appendectomy.