Prophylaxis of early post operative deep venous thrombosis by monitored heparin infusion.
Increases in whole blood coagulability in patient undergoing abdominal surgery have been measured with the thrombelastograph. A continuous, low dose intravenous infusion of heparin has been administered in the operative period in an attempt to control these coagulability increases without increasing the risk of haemorrhage. A preliminary sub-cutaneous dose of heparin followed by a continuous infusion throughout the operation and for two hours afterwards effectively prevented the expected coagulability increase and resulted in reduction of early deep venous thrombosis incidence from 9/20 in controls to 1/19 in treated patients (p less than 0.05).
D000005:Abdomen / Q000601:surgery; D000328:Adult; D001777:Blood Coagulation / Q000187:drug effects; D006493:Heparin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000097:blood / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012306:Risk; D013916:Thrombelastography; D013924:Thrombophlebitis / Q000097:blood / Q000517:prevention & control*
D006493:Heparin