The incidence of deep venous thrombosis in patients undergoing abdominal aortic aneurysm resection.
OBJECTIVE
Fifty consecutive patients undergoing abdominal aortic aneurysm resection were studied prospectively for the presence of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) after surgery.


METHODS
Bilateral venography was performed 5 days after surgery in all patients. There were 42 men and 8 women, with a mean age of 70 years (range 60 to 83 years). No patients received DVT prophylaxis before surgery.


RESULTS
Nine (18%) of 50 patients had a venogram positive for acute DVT. Nine (21%) of 42 men and none of eight women had DVT. Six patients had DVT in the left leg and three patients in the right leg. No patients had symptoms to suggest DVT. Seven (78%) of the nine patients with DVT had thrombi in the calf veins and two patients (22%) had thrombi in the more proximal venous segments, representing 14% and 4% of the entire series, respectively. No clinically evident pulmonary emboli were observed.


CONCLUSIONS
Eighteen percent of 50 consecutive patients undergoing abdominal aortic aneurysm resection had DVT. Because of this high incidence, a study should be undertaken to determine whether DVT prophylaxis can lower the incidence of DVT after abdominal aortic aneurysm resection.
Olin
J W
JW
Department of Vascular Medicine, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, OH 44195.
Graor
R A
RA
O'Hara
P
P
Young
J R
JR
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017544:Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010690:Phlebography; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013924:Thrombophlebitis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*