Epidemiology of venous thromboembolism after lower limb arthroplasty: the FOTO study |
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Authors: | C.-M. SAMAMA,P. RAVAUD&dagger ,F. PARENT&Dagger ,J. BARRÉ § ,P. MERTL¶ , P. MISMETTI,FOR THE FOTO STUDY GROUP |
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Affiliation: | Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, Hotel-Dieu University Hospital, 1 Place du Parvis de Notre-Dame, Paris cedex 04, France. marc.samama@htd.aphp.fr |
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Abstract: | BACKGROUND: In view of recent substantial changes in the management of orthopedic surgery patients, a study was performed in order to update data on the epidemiology of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients undergoing lower limb arthroplasty according to contemporary practise. METHODS: We performed a prospective observational study of a cohort of consecutive patients hospitalized for total hip or knee replacement in June 2003. The primary study outcome was the incidence of symptomatic VTE at 3 months. All events were adjudicated by an independent critical event committee. RESULTS: Data from 1080 patients (mean age 68.0 years) were available; 63.2% were undergoing total hip replacement and 36.8% total knee replacement. Pharmacological thromboprophylaxis was administered for a mean time of 36 days. Injectable antithrombotics were used in more than 99% of patients, irrespective of the type of surgery. The incidence of the primary study outcome was 1.8% (20 events; 95% CI: 1.0-2.6%). The incidences were 1.3% and 2.8% in hip and knee surgery patients, respectively. There were two pulmonary embolisms, both in knee surgery patients; neither was fatal. Thirty-five per cent of VTEs occurred after hospital discharge. An age of at least 75 years and the absence of ambulation before hospital discharge were the only significant (P < 0.05) predictors of VTE. The rate of clinically significant bleeding was 1.0% and the rate of death was 0.9%. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of symptomatic VTE after lower limb arthroplasty is low, even if there is still a need to improve thromboprophylaxis, notably in patients undergoing knee arthroplasty. |
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Keywords: | bleeding prophylaxis thrombosis total knee replacement total hip replacement venous thromboembolism |
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