[Mortality and morbidity of thromboembolism in drug prevention--5-year analysis]

In a period of five years a general medical prevention of postoperative venous thromboembolic disease was tested in major gynaecological operations, in patients undergoing radium insertions for gynaecological cancer and in patients with caesarean section. Preoperatively was the beginning of the daily therapy with Dihydroergotamine (DHE) and every four days the therapy with Acetylsalicylic acid (ASS). The results of 2,346 therapy-cycles with medical prevention of thromboembolic disease in 2,280 patients are reported. Risks of thromboembolic disease were in 63% of the gynaecologic patients (mean age 52.4 +/- 8.9 years) and in 34% of the obstetrical patients (mean age 24.6 +/- 5.1 years). Postoperative bleeding complications occurred in 12 cases (0.5%) and the number of reoperations was lower than 1 0/00). Postoperative thromboembolic complications were found clinically and radiologically in 0.3% of the patients. Letal embolism of the lung happened in 2 patients (0.9 0/00). A general medical prevention of thromboembolic disease with DHE and ASS can be recommended because of the low rate of postoperative bleeding complications and of the reduced rate of postoperative thromboembolic disease. A prevention of thromboembolic disease by individual dosage of heparin must be considered in patients at high risk for thromboembolic disease.