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The risk of VTE during air travel, although underestimated, is real. The increasing evolution of international air traffic associated with the venous risk factors specific to passengers could explain the increase in the incidence of this pathology. Air travel, due to its particular conditions, notably the limitation of mobility, dehydration, hypoxia and hypobaria, seems to favor the occurrence of thromboembolic accidents. The prevention of these accidents is done by the selection of passengers at high risk of venous complications and by the application of precautionary measures according to the risk factors related to the cabin by sufficient hydration during the flight, the wandering in the corridors of the plane, the dorsiflexion of the feet and the deep breathing repeated at regular time intervals during the flight Passengers with a personal history of DVT, PE, acquired or congenital hypercoagulability, recent surgeries, cancer patients and obese, and travel for flight durations of more than four hours, should have in addition to the general measures a pharmcoprophylaxis.
About the author
Dr Jaber CHAKER is a peripheral vascular surgeon who has brought innovations in the management of thrombotic disease.Dr Jaber CHAKER and Dr Imene MAGROUN are members of the Research Unit UR n° 12/US/13 of the Faculty of Medicine of Tunis.
