Abstract
According to the National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) Guidelines, some foot and ankle patients are, by definition, at high risk of DVT/PE. Despite NICE guidance, DVT recommendations are still controversial, and are being reviewed by the BOA to be more operation and context specific.
One consultant at our institution therefore initiated a 6 week medical DVT prophylaxis regimen for all his post-operative hind–foot surgery patients who were placed in plaster. From January 2007 to February 2008 we audited 97 hind-foot patients to measure their compliance rate, complications and DVT/PE rate.
Compliance was excellent (97%) particularly with regard to Low Molecular Weight Heparin (LMWH), but only 70% had medication prescribed for the 6 weeks, and 3% developed a DVT.
Self administered LMWH is acceptable and compliance is excellent in post operative orthopaedic patients, but not necessarily effective.
The abstracts were prepared by Major N. J. Ward ramc. Correspondence should be addressed to him at nickjward72@hotmail.com
