DVT in the Surgical Setting
Post-Surgical DVT
- DVT/PE issues occur as a result of hospitalization, surgery, and other healthcare treatment or procedures.
- 50% of blood clot occurrences are directly related to recent hospitalization/surgery, and most of them do not occur until after discharge.
- The highest risk for DVTs is 1-2 weeks after surgery. DVTs can occur up to 90 days post-discharge. Despite in-hospital prophylaxis for patients, the risk for DVT remains high for several weeks after hospital discharge.
Patient Risk Factors
In the absence of appropriate preventative treatment, patients will develop thrombosis in:
- 10% to 40% of medical and general surgery
- 40% to 60% of major orthopedic surgery
Most hospitalized patients have at least one of the following risk factors:
Immobility, Surgery > 30 minutes, History of DVT, Cancer, Obesity, Pregnancy, Anesthesia, Age, Serious Trauma, Infection, Smoking, Vascular Issues, and more.
Prevention is Key
- More than 50% of patients who developed a DVT/PE did not receive appropriate preventative treatment.
- 70% of hospital/surgery patients who develop a DVT/PE after discharge are preventable.
Portable Pneumatic Compression: A Safer Alternative
- When patients complied with proper wearing of the pneumatic compression device, the incidence of DVT dropped by as much as 72%.
- Mechanical prophylaxis is the preferred method of DVT prevention. It provides DVT reduction rates similar to those achieved by pharmacological prophylaxis without the risk of developing bleeding complications.
- Pharmacological prophylaxis could be completely avoided in most cases if proper mechanical prophylaxis protocols were incorporated.