The Potential Role of Fondaparinux as Venous Thromboembolism Prophylaxis After Total Hip or Knee Replacement or Hip Fracture Surgery

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Abstract
VENOUS THROMBOEMBOLISM (VTE) is a common disease, with an average annual incidence of over 1 per 1000.1 Venous thromboembolism also is a potentially lethal disease, mostly owing to pulmonary embolism (PE). Almost one quarter of all PE cases present as essentially sudden death, with a 1-week survival of only 71%.2 Patients with deep vein thrombosis (DVT) often experience serious and costly long-term complications. Almost 30% of patients develop serious venous stasis syndrome within 10 years3,4 at an estimated cost of over $4000 per episode in 1997 dollars.5 To improve survival and prevent complications, the incidence of VTE must be reduced.