2010 Volume 30 Issue 7 Pages 1002-1007
Mechanical prevention of venous thromboembolism in orthopaedic surgery is performed in most hospitals. New anticoagulants, such as enoxaparin or fondaparinux, were approved in 2007 and 2008. The Japanese Orthopaedic Association has published the guideline for prevention of venous thromboembolism in orthopaedic surgery in 2008, and anticoagulant prophylaxis or intermittent pneumatic compression is recommended for total joint arthroplasty or hip fracture surgery. Since then, anticoagulant prophylaxis has been widely used for joint replacement surgery. Anticoagulant is effective for prevention of venous thromboembolism, but bleeding complications have occurred in some cases. Each case has both thrombotic and bleeding risks. Therefore, the choice of preventive methods of venous thromboembolism should be selected case-by-case with good informed consent.
