[Possibilities of early detection of postoperative venous thromboses]

The use of labelled fibrinogen in 106 patients with thromboembolic risk led to the detection of thrombosis of deep veins of lower limbs in 25 patients (23,58%) as compared with a single patient (0,94%) who showed all the clinical signs. The thromboses were identified more frequently (in 60% of the cases) in patients whose age was above 60 years. In 80% of the cases the thromboses were detected in the first 24 h after surgery. Most frequently involved were the veins of the leg (64%), and especially in the IV-th area, corresponding to the upper third of the leg (23,80%). Surgery performed in the pelvic area gave a high percentage of thromboses. Advanced age, the existence of varicose veins, the presence of diabetes, of obesity, as well as previous surgical interventions, increase the risk of thrombosis and of embolies. Due to existing possibilities for an early diagnosis of thromboses in deep veins following surgery, for detecting latent clinical thrombosis, as well as for assessing the evolution of an already formed thrombus, it appears that the test with labelled fibrinogen is a highly useful clinical investigation.