Incidence and Prevention of Venous Thromboembolism in Severely Injured Patients with Lower Extremity Fracture / 대한정형외과학회잡지

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To compare the incidence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in severely injured patients with lower extremity fracture in a prophylactic group with that in a non-prophylactic group during a retrospective study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Severely injured patients with lower extremity fracture were enrolled in this study and were divided into the following two groups Group I, non-prophylactic group, and Group II, prophylactic group using anticoagulants and mechanical prophylaxis. RESULTS: Symptomatic VTE occurred in 5 cases (16.1%) among the 31 cases in Group I; i.e., deep vein thrombosis in one case and pulmonary embolism (PE) in four cases, including life threatening PE 2 cases. There were no patients with symptomatic VTE among the 32 cases in Group II. CONCLUSION: The incidence of symptomatic VTE without the use of prophylaxis was 16.1%. This rate dramatically decreased with the use of prophylaxis. Therefore, we believe that prophylaxis with anticoagulants and mechanical device is necessary in order to prevent VTE in severely injured patients with lower extremity fracture.