title: Death rate from pulmonary embolism following joint replacement surgery.
abstract: This paper comprises a retrospective study of the incidence of death from pulmonary embolism following total hip and total knee replacement surgery in a unit which does not employ routine prophylactic anticoagulation. There were a total of 1569 patients, of whom 1362 had total hip replacements and 207, knee replacements. Fatal pulmonary embolism occurred in six patients. The need for routine prophylactic anticoagulation is questioned.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Borders General Hospital, Melrose, Roxburghshire, UK.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mcgrath
authors.forename: W G
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Dennyson
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rolland
mesh_terms: D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001458:Bandages; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000401:mortality; D018890:Chemoprevention; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006622:Hip Prosthesis; D006767:Hospitals, District / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006769:Hospitals, General / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007720:Knee Prosthesis; D008124:Locomotion; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000401:mortality; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000401:mortality* / Q000517:prevention & control; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012606:Scotland / Q000453:epidemiology; D013165:Splints; D016474:Weight-Bearing
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants