Biomaterial Database

Controversies in the prevention of deep vein thrombosis with total hip arthroplasty. 1994

R H Fitzgerald

Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Mich.

Thromboembolic disease is a serious problem that is growing because both total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) patients are now being discharged from the hospital as early as the fourth postoperative day. The current estimate is that 50,000 deaths a year in the United States can be attributed to this disease process, and it is an equally large problem in other countries such as Great Britain (Table 1). Thromboembolic disease is asymptomatic in the vast majority of patients undergoing joint replacement. Approximately one in six patients develops the condition following THA or TKA.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D011183	Postoperative Complications	Pathologic processes that affect patients after a surgical procedure. They may or may not be related to the disease for which the surgery was done, and they may or may not be direct results of the surgery.	Complication, Postoperative,Complications, Postoperative,Postoperative Complication
D006495	Heparin, Low-Molecular-Weight	Heparin fractions with a molecular weight usually between 4000 and 6000 kD. These low-molecular-weight fractions are effective antithrombotic agents. Their administration reduces the risk of hemorrhage, they have a longer half-life, and their platelet interactions are reduced in comparison to unfractionated heparin. They also provide an effective prophylaxis against postoperative major pulmonary embolism.	LMWH,Low-Molecular-Weight Heparin,Low Molecular Weight Heparin,Heparin, Low Molecular Weight
D006622	Hip Prosthesis	Replacement for a hip joint.	Femoral Head Prosthesis,Femoral Head Prostheses,Hip Prostheses,Prostheses, Femoral Head,Prostheses, Hip,Prosthesis, Femoral Head,Prosthesis, Hip
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000925	Anticoagulants	Agents that prevent BLOOD CLOTTING.	Anticoagulant Agent,Anticoagulant Drug,Anticoagulant,Anticoagulant Agents,Anticoagulant Drugs,Anticoagulation Agents,Indirect Thrombin Inhibitors,Agent, Anticoagulant,Agents, Anticoagulant,Agents, Anticoagulation,Drug, Anticoagulant,Drugs, Anticoagulant,Inhibitors, Indirect Thrombin,Thrombin Inhibitors, Indirect
D013923	Thromboembolism	Obstruction of a blood vessel (embolism) by a blood clot (THROMBUS) in the blood stream.	Thromboembolisms