Deep vein thrombosis after thoracotomy

Area of Science:

• Medical research
• Surgical outcomes
• Thrombosis prevention

Background:

• Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a significant risk following lateral thoracotomy.
• Assessing prophylactic methods for DVT is crucial in surgical patients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of perioperative heparin prophylaxis in preventing DVT after lateral thoracotomy.
• To assess the utility of the 125I fibrinogen uptake test in monitoring DVT prophylaxis.

Main Methods:

• Prospective study involving 183 patients undergoing lateral thoracotomy.
• Comparison of DVT incidence between a control group and a group receiving heparin prophylaxis.
• Utilized the 125I fibrinogen uptake test for DVT assessment.

Main Results:

• Incidence of DVT in untreated patients was 51%.
• Heparin prophylaxis reduced DVT incidence to 28% (P < 0.005) without increasing postoperative blood loss.
• Thrombosis was significantly more frequent in the leg contralateral to the thoracotomy (P < 0.005).

Conclusions:

• Perioperative heparin prophylaxis is effective in reducing DVT after lateral thoracotomy.
• The 125I fibrinogen uptake test is valuable for evaluating prophylaxis but not for routine clinical use.