Preoperative Enoxaparin versus Postoperative Enoxaparin Thromboprophylaxis in Hip Fracture Surgery: Is Preoperative Enoxaparin Safe to Use? / 대한정형외과학회잡지

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of pre- and postoperative initiation of enoxaparin in treatment of hip fracture. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, we enrolled 629 consecutive patients with hip fracture who Pusan National University Hospital between March 2009 and March 2014. Of these patients, 414 patients (65.8%) met the final inclusion criteria. Enoxaparin was administered subcutaneously at 40 mg once daily starting 48 hours after surgery in 156 patients (group A), and immediately after admission in 258 patients (group B). The incidence of symptomatic venous thromboembolism (VTE) and risk of bleeding during hospitalization period were compared between groups. RESULTS: The incidence of symptomatic VTE during the hospitalization period was 7.1% (11 patients) in group A and 5.4% (14 patients) in group B. No significant difference in the rate of symptomatic VTE was found between the groups (unadjusted odds ratio [OR], 0.756; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.334–1.710; adjusted OR, 0.554; 95% CI, 0.212–1.449). The incidence of symptomatic deep-vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism (including fatal and non-fatal) did not significantly differ between groups. However, fatal pulmonary thromboembolism developed in two cases in group A and one patient expired postoperatively due to pulmonary hemorrhage in group B. Major bleeding and all-cause death did not differ between groups. CONCLUSION: Preoperative starting chemical thromboprophylaxis may be considered in the elderly patients with hip fracture who have risk factors for venous thromboembolism.