Conditions: Osteoarthritis
Allocation: RANDOMIZED | Intervention model: PARALLEL
Enrollment: 80
Healthy volunteers: yes

Brief summary:
For patients undergoing total hip and knee arthroplasty, does the use of Aspirin alone compared to using Aspirin along with a mobile compression device provide equivocal results for preventing Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE) after total joint arthroplasty? The investigator will evaluate the prevention of DVT/PE after total hip and knee arthroplasty will be evaluated to see if there is a decreased risk of bleeding while continuing to prevent thromboembolic disease. The equivalency of using the mobile compression devices with aspirin compared to aspirin alone in patients undergoing total hip and knee arthroplasty will be evaluated. A previous study has shown that patient compliance with the pneumatic compression device is less than 80%.

Detailed description:
The research question is: does the use of Aspirin alone compared to using Aspirin along with a mobile compression device provide equivocal results for preventing Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE) after total joint arthroplasty? Participants were randomized to either receive aspirin and mobile pneumatic compression devices or aspirin alone as outpatient DVT prophylaxis as their standard of care after primary total hip and total knee arthroplasty. Participants randomized to the compression device group were asked to wear the compression devices for 20 hours a day for 2 weeks along with taking an aspirin (325mg once a day), per standard of care. Participants randomized to aspirin alone took 325 mg per day. Participant usage information from Active Care +S.F.T. mobile devices was collected. The information was recorded at the participant's first follow up visit occurring between 7-21 days post-surgery. All of the participants were asked to keep a checklist indicating aspirin intake compliance each day, which was returned at their first follow up visit. Participants randomized to mobile pneumatic compression device and aspirin (325 mg) were asked to complete a satisfaction questionnaire about the compression device at their first follow up visit. Participants received a phone call from a member of the research team approximately 90 days post-op. The call was necessary to assess if any participants have been diagnosed with DVT at another hospital.

Arms:
arm 1: Participants randomized to aspirin alone will be advised to take a 325mg per day as their outpatient DVT/PE prophylaxis. arm 2: Participants randomized to the compression device group are asked to wear the compression devices for 20 hours a day for 2 weeks along with taking an 325mg aspirin per day as their outpatient DVT/PE prophylaxis.

Interventions: intervention 1: Aspirin intervention 2: Portable Compression Device
Intervention descriptions: intervention 1: If there is evidence that aspirin alone is equivocal to using both the pumps and aspirin, this could lower health care cost and burden for patients undergoing total joint arthroplasty while establishing that the rate of DVT/PE does not increase with the absence of the compression device. intervention 2: If there is evidence that aspirin alone is equivocal to using both the pumps and aspirin, there could be lower health care cost and burden for patients undergoing total joint arthroplasty while establishing that the rate of DVT/PE does not increase with the absence of the compression device.

Protocol document: