In February 2018, the first edition of the European Guidelines on Peri-operative Venous Thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis was published in the European Journal of Anaesthesiology.1,2 For the first time, recommendations on VTE focused on the peri-operative period with dedicated sections on surgery in the obese patient, surgery in the pregnant patient and during the immediate postpartum period, surgery in the elderly, day surgery and fast track surgery, cardio-vascular and thoracic surgery, and neurosurgery. A section was dedicated to intensive care. Other topics such as chronic treatments with antiplatelet agents and coagulation disorders/bleeding patient were also addressed. In addition, three controversial queries were assessed: the use of mechanical prophylaxis, aspirin and vena cava filters.

These guidelines were supported by six European and two International Scientific Societies. These societies each appointed a representative to the Task Force who further nominated several writing experts. At the end, more than 50 experts were involved in a collaborative effort and the published recommendations have been widely cited and commented.