A clotting test for people having brain tumor surgery
Original title: Prognostic value of modified thrombelastometry for thromboembolic risk stratification in neurosurgical patients: protocol for a prospective, multicenter, observational study (TENS).
How far along is this research?
- Lab cells
- Animals
- Review
- Tested in people
This was tested in people. That is the most reliable kind of research we share.
This study is watching patients, but it is still signing people up and has no results.
The short version
Doctors want to know if a clotting test can show who may get a blood clot after brain surgery.
What was studied. This is the plan for a new study called TENS. It will follow 350 adults having brain tumor surgery, or surgery expected to last 4 hours or more, at four university hospitals.
What they found. There are no results yet. The study has not finished. Patients will have their blood tested three times: before surgery, at the end of surgery, and the day after. The team will then see if one test result lines up with blood clots in the 30 days after surgery. The researchers note that deep vein clots are reported in between 15% and 70% of these patients, depending on the tumor type and how big the surgery is.
What this means, and what it doesn't
What it could mean: Clots are a real worry after brain tumor surgery. Right now, everyone gets much the same clot prevention. If this test works, doctors may one day spot who is at higher risk and give them more care. For today, it does not change anything a patient is offered.
What it doesn't mean: This is only a study plan, not a result. The study was still signing up patients as of March 2026, and is not expected to finish until March 2027. No one knows yet if the test actually predicts clots. This is a test to measure risk, not a treatment, and it is not a cure for anything. Do not ask for it as part of your care yet.
Source: PubMed, November 2, 2026 · Read the original
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