Experience with the management of deep vein thrombosis in patients with spinal cord injury. Part II: a critical evaluation of the anticoagulant therapy.

Eight acute spinal injury patients with deep vein thrombosis and/or pulmonary emboli are presented witn an in-depth analysis and management of anticoagulation therapy. Special considerations for acute spinal cord injury patients with regards to prophylactic and therapeutic anticoagulation by heparin and coumadin are discussed. There was a wide variation in the requirement of heparin and/or coumadin to maintain effective coagulability which could only be elicited by frequent laboratory monitoring. Inadequate dose and shorter duration of administration of anticoagulant resulted in recurrence of thromboembolism in three out of eight patients in the present series. Haemorrhagic complications were minor and easily manageable. Co-trimoxazole potentiation of coumadin action occurred in two of our patients and it requires special mention as the drug is used increasingly in the treatment of urinary tract infections.