Clopidogrel Use in Orthopaedic Surgery in Scotland
Author Information
Author(s): Joseph Jibu, Pillai Anand, Bramley Diane
Primary Institution: Southern General Hospital, Glasgow
Hypothesis
Is it safe to continue taking clopidogrel in the perioperative period for orthopaedic patients?
Conclusion
The study indicates that there is a lack of uniformity among orthopaedic surgeons regarding the need to stop clopidogrel preoperatively.
Supporting Evidence
- 84.7% of respondents have encountered patients on clopidogrel.
- 47.2% stopped clopidogrel 7 days pre-operatively.
- Increased peri-operative bleeding was reported by 22.6% of respondents.
Takeaway
Doctors are unsure if patients should stop taking clopidogrel before surgery, and some think it might be okay to keep taking it.
Methodology
A questionnaire was sent to all orthopaedic consultants in Scotland to survey their practices regarding clopidogrel use.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to self-selection of respondents who may have more interest or experience with clopidogrel.
Limitations
The study may have bias as those who responded might have more interest in the topic, and non-respondents may have different practices.
Participant Demographics
Orthopaedic consultants in Scotland.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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