Table 4 Management of bleeding risk factors before image-guided percutaneous lung ablation
From: Image-guided percutaneous ablation for the treatment of lung malignancies: current state of the art
| Pre-procedure laboratory testing and management | |
| INR: routinely recommended. Correct to < 1.5 | |
| aPTT: routinely recommended in patients receiving UFH. Stop or reverse UFH for values > 1.5 × control | |
| Platelet count: routinely recommended. < 50,000: transfuse | |
| Hematocrit: routinely recommended. No recommended threshold for transfusion | |
| Anticoagulant and antiplatelet management | |
| Clopidogrel: withhold for five days before procedure. Resume the day after procedure | |
| Aspirin: withhold for 3–5 days before procedure. Resume the day after procedure | |
| LMWH: withhold for 24 h or up to two doses. Resume the 12 h after procedure | |
| Warfarin: Withhold five days until target INR < 1.5; consider bridging for high thrombosis risk cases. Resume the day after procedure |