Thromboembolic complications following trauma surgery: incidence and outcomes

Thromboembolic disease is an unusual condition in the general community. The incidence of symptomatic acute deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is very low in the general population before the age of 50 years. After the age of 50 years, the annual incidence increases. Thromboembolic disease is, however, a major cause of death and morbidity among hospitalized patients. In this setting, it has been estimated that pulmonary embolism (PE) kills about 100,000 Americans each year, and contributes to the death of another 100,000. It is probably the most common preventable cause of death in hospitalized patients. Thromboembolic disease is a cluster of related conditions, many of them clinically silent. DVT and PE manifest themselves with very general symptoms, making the clinical diagnosis (symptoms and physical signs) insensitive and nonspecific.