Lumbar drains and anticoagulant therapy

[LetsChill]

I work in a CVICU where we get lumber drains back with AAAs and other major thoracic/abdominal procedures. Are lumber drains EVER given anticoagulant therapy? Lets say that the surgeons anticipate keeping it in for several days postop. In our facility, ICU docs cover vascular pts for everything except for the surgical issues. If it is their standard practice to start anticoagulant therapy after surgery, should that practice be modified for pts with lumber drains? If it isn't ok to anticoagulate these pts (considering the inherent risk of bleeding and hematoma formation leading to paralysis) why would an ICU doc order anticoagulant therapy?

Nursing policy doesn't mention anticoagulant therapy.

Thanks

[CRNA1982]

If you are referring to low dose Heparin, you just hold the dose for about 8 hours and pull the drain and or epidural. This amount of time will ensure that the pt. is no longer anticoagulated. Lovenox is another story.....you must wait longer. The advantages of low dose Heparin for DVT prophylaxis outweigh lumbar drains/epidural catheter hematomas.....Plus hematomas are relatively rare.