Prevention of thrombo-embolic disease in emergencies

The prevention of thrombo-embolic disease in general surgery has well been codified during the recent years, by means of the use of subcutaneous heparine in the pre- and postoperative periods. This therapeutic effort can not be applied to traumatological patients as the formation of the thrombus occurs at the same time of the accident and not at the moment of intervention. Good results were however obtained by the systematic use of subcutaneous heparine at the early moment emergency treatment and by increasing eventually the dose in case of thrombosis, to maintain a franc hypocoagulability. The frequency of injection, dosage and results obtained are described. (Acta anaesth. belg., 1976, 27, 69-81).