Hemostatic prophylaxis and colonoscopy outcomes for patients with bleeding disorders: A retrospective cohort study and review of the literature

Introduction: Hemostatic prophylaxis (HP) is recommended for patients with bleeding disorders (PWBD) before invasive procedures. However, evidence-based guidelines are needed to determine optimal HP strategies. Aim: To determine outcomes of HP for PWBD undergoing colonoscopy. Methods: We undertook a retrospective cohort study of HP and outcomes of colonoscopy procedures performed between 9 November 1993 and 13 February 2018 for PWBD who received care in the Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Hemophilia Treatment Center. Results: During the study period, 73 PWBD (58 with milder phenotypes: haemophilia, von Willebrand disease [subtypes 1 and 2; II, VII and XI deficiency]) underwent 141 procedures. Preprocedural HP was given to 61%, and interventions were performed in 47%. Of the 39% without preprocedural HP, postprocedural HP was given for 11%. One major (0.7%; 6 days postprocedure despite HP) and 10 minor (7%) bleeding complications occurred, which tended to be in patients with severe disease and/or after excision of larger polyps. There was no significant difference in the rate of bleeding complications with or without preprocedural HP (8.1% vs 5.5%, respectively; P =.74, Fisher's exact test). Conclusion: The low bleeding rates in our cohort suggest that preprocedure HP may be withheld for patients with mild bleeding disorders who undergo colonoscopy with a low likelihood of requiring an intervention or who require only low-risk intervention. This strategy may be best used in experienced centres, provided optimal local hemostasis measures are undertaken and postprocedural HP is rapidly available if high-risk intervention is required. Further studies are needed to determine optimal evidence-based HP strategies for PWBD undergoing colonoscopy.