J Korean Orthop Assoc.  1999 Oct;34(5):877-882.

The Prevalence and Surveillance of Deep Vein Thrombosis after Total Hip Arthroplasty

• Jeon SH
• Min BW
• Lee SM
• Kang CS
• Lee KW

Abstract

PURPOSE: To establish the incidence of deep vein thrombosis among Koreans after primary total hip arthroplasty and the usefulness of color doppler ultrasonography for routine noninvasive screening for deep vein thrombosis.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
We performed prospective, randomized routine venography and color doppler ultrasonography before and after operation in a consecutive series of 89 primary total hip arthroplasty in which no form of prophylaxis was used.
RESULTS
Of the 89 cases, eleven (12.4%) were found to have deep vein thrombosis (three proximal veins and eight distal veins) by bilateral venography. Most of the thromboses except two were asymptomatic. No patient had a symptomatic pulmonary embolism. Statistical analysis of risk factors, age, gender, weight, height, fixation method, and duration of operation time, were performed and there was no statistical difference (P>0.05). The reliability of color doppler ultrasonography for detection of deep vein thrombosis was demonstrated.
CONCLUSIONS
We found insufficient evidence to recommend routine thromboprophylaxis in primary total hip arthroplasty among Koreans. The authors recommend that routine bilateral color doppler ultrasonography screening be considered after primary total hip arthroplasty for detection of deep vein thrombosis

Keyword

Total hip arthroplasty; Color doppler ultrasonography; Incidence

MeSH Terms

Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip*
Humans
Incidence
Mass Screening
Phlebography
Prevalence*
Prospective Studies
Pulmonary Embolism
Risk Factors
Thrombosis
Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color
Veins
Venous Thrombosis*