Current recommendations for extended out-of-hospital thromboprophylaxis following total hip arthroplasty

Patients who have undergone total hip arthroplasty are at risk for venous thromboembolic disease, including deep venous thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, and postphlebitic syndrome. Although the number of annual total hip arthroplasties in the United States has steadily risen in the past decade, the rate of venous thromboembolic disease within that patient group has declined as a result of advances in surgical and postoperative procedures, including prompt mobilization and safety and efficacy of thromboprophylactic alternatives. This paper reviews the therapeutic options for deep venous thrombosis prophylaxis following total hip arthroplasty, with an emphasis on recommendations of the Sixth American College of Chest Physicians Consensus Conference on Antithrombotic Therapy. The implications of recent randomized clinical trials on care provided by physiatrists in the rehabilitation facility setting are also discussed. The low-molecular-weight heparins have become widely accepted alternatives to aspirin, heparin, and warfarin as results from randomized clinical trials have proved their superior safety and efficacy in the postoperative period. Prolonged prophylaxis up to 30 to 35 days postoperatively in total hip arthroplasty may offer additional protection against venous thrombosis. Therefore, to prescribe optimal thromboprophylactic regimens following total hip arthroplasty, physicians require an understanding of the current recommendations of the Sixth American College of Chest Physicians Consensus Conference on Antithrombotic Therapy and the implications of recently concluded clinical trials.