The new guidelines, contained in the fourth ACCP consensus report on antithrombotic therapy, should clarify and broaden treatment options for orthopedic surgeons. The report also recommends IPC, which provides a comparable reduction in the risk of venous thromboembolism. DVT, a condition in which blood clots form in the veins of the leg, can lead to PE, which is frequently fatal. The best way to treat DVT is to prevent it, using prophylactic therapy with antithrombotics.
Knee replacement is especially dangerous due to the invasiveness of the procedure.
The incidence of DVT is between 50 and 80 percent in knee replacement surgery. The recommendations were developed by a multi-specialty consensus group of leaders in the field of thrombosis. Thus, ACCP guidelines are well-recognized for the qualitative and quantitative assessment of each individual procedure. Its mission is to promote the prevention and treatment of diseases of the chest through leadership, education, research and communication.