Thrombosis after hip replacement. Relationship to the fibrinolytic system

Twenty-nine patients were operated on with the Charnley hip prosthesis. All the patients were given dextran 70 as thrombosis prophylaxis. Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) was diagnosed in 10 patients with the radioactive fibrinogen uptake test and phlebography. Variables of coagulation and fibrinolysis were studied before and after surgery. Tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) activity in the plasma without venous occlusion decreased postoperatively, but there was no correlation with DVT. The t-PA activity in venous occlusion plasma was not reduced after surgery. Plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI-1) levels were raised immediately postoperatively. There was a significant correlation between preoperative PAI-1 activity and development of postoperative DVT (P less than 0.05). Patients developing DVT had higher levels of PAI-1 postoperatively than patients not developing DVT. A defective fibrinolytic system, as defined by high PAI-1 activity, thus predisposed to postoperative DVT.