Incidence and Time Course of Thromboembolic Outcomes Following Total Hip or Knee Arthroplasty

Abstract
IT IS WIDELY appreciated that asymptomatic deep vein thrombosis (DVT) frequently develops after both total hip arthroplasty and total knee arthroplasty and that medical or mechanical prophylaxis significantly reduces the incidence of venographically defined thrombosis.1-7 Much less is known about the incidence and time course of symptomatic DVT or pulmonary embolism (PE), particularly after hospital discharge. A number of studies have provided evidence that asymptomatic venous thromboembolism develops in a significant proportion of patients after hospital discharge after either general or orthopedic surgery.8-16 Moreover, recent clinical trials have demonstrated that more prolonged medical prophylaxis after hospital discharge significantly reduces the incidence of venographically detected DVT after total hip arthroplasty.17,18

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