Does intermittent pneumatic compression increase the risk of pulmonary embolism in deep venous thrombosis after joint surgery?
The present study aimed to identify the incidence and risk factors of symptomatic pulmonary embolism and evaluate the safety of early intermittent pneumatic compression application in patients with deep venous thrombosis (DVT) after joint surgery. A total of 144 patients with DVT undergoing joint surgery were divided into two groups according to the appearance of symptomatic pulmonary embolism. Venography and computed tomographic pulmonary angiography were utilized as the assessment methods. The total incidence of symptomatic pulmonary embolism was 0.39% after joint surgery. However, the prevalence increased to 3.5% when computed in patients with DVT. Patients with symptomatic pulmonary embolism were older than those without symptomatic pulmonary embolism (69 ± 4 versus 61 ± 15 years, P = 0.04). The occurrence rate of symptomatic pulmonary embolism in patients with diabetes mellitus was much higher than that in the patients without diabetes mellitus (40.0% versus 8.6%, respectively, P = 0.02). The prevalence of symptomatic pulmonary embolism after joint surgery in patients with DVT was not distinctive. Increased age and diabetes mellitus put patients with DVT at risk of suffering symptomatic pulmonary embolism after joint surgery. In addition, early postoperative application of intermittent pneumatic compression was safe in these patients.
aMedical School of Nanjing University bThe Center of Diagnosis and Treatment for Joint Disease, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Affiliated to Medical School of Nanjing University cThe Model Animal Research Center of Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, PR China *Huacheng Hou and Yao Yao contributed equally to the writing of this article.
Huacheng
H
Hou
Yao
Y
Yao
Ke
K
Zheng
Huajian
H
Teng
Zhen
Z
Rong
Dongyang
D
Chen
Zhihong
Z
Xu
Dongquan
D
Shi
Jin
J
Dai
Xinhua
X
Li
Qing
Q
Jiang
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D048909:Diabetes Complications / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007596:Joints / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019637:Orthopedic Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000209:etiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D020246:Venous Thrombosis / Q000150:complications*