title: Comparative risk of early postoperative pulmonary embolism after cemented total knee versus total hip arthroplasty with low-dose warfarin prophylaxis.
abstract: Four hundred thirteen cemented total hip arthroplasties and 852 cemented total knee arthroplasties were evaluated prospectively for postoperative pulmonary embolism. Inclusion criteria were a diagnosis of osteoarthritis, age 50 to 75 years old, cemented primary arthroplasty, and prophylaxis with low-dose warfarin (Coumadin, DuPont Pharma, Wilmington, Delaware). All patients underwent a preoperative perfusion scan and postoperative ventilation perfusion scan with all moderate probability scans evaluated with arteriogram. The overall incidence of pulmonary embolism was 3.8% after cemented total hip arthroplasty and 5.6% after cemented total knee arthroplasty. Because of a weight bias, patient age, weight, and gender-matched comparison was performed. Two hundred eighty-two patients from each group were matched with identical age, weight, and gender. The incidence of postoperative pulmonary embolism was 4.3% for total hip arthroplasty and 4.6% for total knee arthroplasty. These results do not support the contention that pulmonary embolism is higher after total hip arthroplasty than after total knee arthroplasty.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Vresilovic
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Hozack
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Booth
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Rothman
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D001843:Bone Cements; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006622:Hip Prosthesis; D006801:Humans; D007720:Knee Prosthesis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012307:Risk Factors; D014859:Warfarin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants; D001843:Bone Cements; D014859:Warfarin