The Incidence of Symptomatic Venous Thromboembolism During and After Prophylaxis With EnoxaparinA Multi-institutional Cohort Study of Patients Who Underwent Hip or Knee Arthroplasty

Abstract

VENOUS thromboembolism is an important complication of arthroplastic surgery of the lower extremity.¹ Without prophylaxis, approximately 50% of patients undergoing hip arthroplasty^2-4 and 50% to 70% of those undergoing knee arthroplasty^5-11 develop deep vein thrombosis. Therapy with low molecular weight heparins safely reduces the incidence of venous thromboembolism after major orthopedic surgery.^11-26 Despite low molecular weight heparin prophylaxis, however, approximately 15% of patients undergoing hip arthroplasty and 30% of those undergoing knee arthroplasty have venographic evidence of deep vein thrombosis at the time of hospital discharge.^11-26 In addition, 20% to 40% of patients develop new thrombi after hospital discharge, as shown by venography 3 weeks later.^27,28