Current risk factors for asymptomatic venous thromboembolism in patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty.

OBJECTIVE: A history of venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a risk factor for newly formed VTE after total hip arthroplasty (THA). However, its morbidity and association with postoperative VTE are not clear and, therefore, were investigated in this study.

METHODS: Four-hundred and nineteen patients scheduled for primary THA were included. We preoperatively identified any VTE factors such as obesity, age, and history of VTE by interviewing and duplex ultrasonography for all patients, and the patients were assigned into 'high-' or 'low-risk' groups, that were the indication whether chemoprophylaxis was administered after surgery. Postoperative VTE was also examined on the day 7 by enhanced computed tomography (CT) for all patients.

RESULTS: Preoperative VTE were detected in 48 patients (11.4%), and postoperative VTE were found in 44 (10.5%). Linear and multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed osteonecrosis and preoperative VTE were the independent factors associated with postoperative VTE (Odds ratio (OR) 1.0 e-7 and 5.00, respectively). In the survey of each risk group, only preoperative VTE was recognized as a risk factor for high-risk group, and longer operation time for low-risk group.

CONCLUSION: The present study confirmed high frequency of preoperative VTE which was still the strongest risk factor for postoperative asymptomatic VTE.