title: Is Routine Thromboprophylaxis Needed in Korean Patients Undergoing Unicompartmental Knee Arthroplasty?
abstract: This study was undertaken to determine the prevalence and the natural course of venous thromboembolism (VTE) without thromboprophylaxis to ascertain whether routine thromboprophylaxis is necessary following unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) in Korean patients. The medical records and multidetector row computed tomography (MDCT) imaging of the consecutive 77 UKAs in 70 patients were reviewed. In all patients, MDCTs were undertaken preoperatively and at 1-week after surgery, and VTE symptoms were evaluated. At postoperative 6-months, follow-up MDCTs were undertaken in all patients in whom VTEs were newly detected after surgery. VTE lesions were newly detected in 18 (26%) of the 70 patients. However, none of the patients complained of VTE-related symptoms and MDCT demonstrated that all VTEs were small and involved limited portion without lower leg edema or pleuroparenchymal complication. At the 6-month follow up MDCT, all types of VTEs were shown to be completely resolved, regardless of their location. All of the VTE lesions maintained an asymptomatic status for 6-month after surgery. VTE following UKA in Korean patients who do not receive thromboprophylaxis seems to occur frequently, but all of the VTEs are clinically insignificant and all VTEs are spontaneously regressed. Routine thromboprophylaxis or thrombolytic treatment in Korean patients undergoing UKA may not be necessary.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, Seoul, Korea.; Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: In Jun
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-7941-1587
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Koh
authors.affiliation: Gangseo Himchan Hospital, Seoul, Korea .
authors.forename: Ju Hwan
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-8288-8853
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, Seoul, Korea .
authors.forename: Man Soo
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-1374-9964
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, Seoul, Korea .
authors.forename: Sung Won
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-1276-1141
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, Seoul, Korea .
authors.forename: Chulkyu
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-7220-6938
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, Seoul, Korea.; Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Yong
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-5932-3934
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: In
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D019645:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee; D044466:Asian People; D005260:Female; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007717:Knee / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D056910:Republic of Korea; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D054556:Venous Thromboembolism / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents
keywords: Arthroplasty; Knee; Natural History; Replacement; Thromboprophylaxis; Venous Thromboembolism