Abstract
Fatal pulmonary embolism after hip surgery is the most serious postoperative complication. However, it has generally been accepted that this disease is rare in the Asian population because of genetic factors and dietary patterns. Since 1992 we started chemical prevention for this disease after having experienced three cases of fetal pulmonary embolisms after pelvic osteotomy. Pelvic osteotomy has high risks not only for pulmonary embolism but also bleeding. We started low dose unfractionated heparin from 1000 unit per day to 4000 units per day. Unfractionated heparin at 1000 units per day had no preventative effect, but 2000 units per day or 4000 units per day could prevent post operative symptomatic venous thromboembolism without any bleeding complication.
