The Pulmonary Embolism Prevention (PEP) Trial was designed to assess the effects of a 35 day course of aspirin (160 mg daily) on the risks of thromboembolic events, other cardiovascular outcomes and bleeding among individuals undergoing surgery for hip fracture or joint replacement. From 1992 to 1998, 148 hospitals in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Sweden and the United Kingdom randomised 13,356 hip fracture patients, and 22 hospitals in New Zealand randomised 4,088 elective arthroplasty patients. Among hip fracture patients, aspirin produced proportional reductions in PE of 43% (95% confidence interval [CI] 18% to 60%; 2P=0.002) and symptomatic DVT of 29% (95% CI 3% to 48%; 2P=0.03). PE or DVT was confirmed in 105 (1.6%) of 6679 patients allocated aspirin versus 165 (2.5%) of 6677 allocated placebo, representing an absolute reduction of 9±2 per 1000 and a proportional reduction of 36% (95% CI 19% to 50%; 2P=0.0003). Aspirin prevented 4±1 fatal pulmonary emboli per 1000 treated (18 aspirin vs 43 placebo deaths), representing a proportional reduction of 58% (95% CI 27% to 76%; 2P=0.002), with no apparent effect on deaths from other vascular (hazard ratio 1.04; 95% CI 0.86 to 1.26) or non-vascular cause (1.01; 95% CI 0.84 to 1.23). Deaths due to bleeding were rare (13 aspirin vs 15 placebo), but there was an excess of 6±3 post-operative transfused bleeds per 1000 allocated aspirin (2P=0.04). Among elective arthroplasty patients, venous thromboembolism rates were lower but the proportional effects of aspirin appeared similar to those among hip fracture patients

Background. Orthopaedic surgeons are increasingly pressured to consider thromboprophylaxis for patients when little evidence exists. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of fatal pulmonary embolism following office attendance in our outpatient fracture clinic. Methods. Between October 2004 and September 2006 details of all new patients referred to our orthopaedic fracture clinic were prospectively entered into an audit database. Patients did not receive any form of thromboprophylaxis. Data was cross referenced with a national mortality database to identify all patients who subsequently died within 90 days of attendance in fracture clinic. Results. 11,502 new patient fracture clinic appointments occurred during the study period. 5604 patients had lower limb injuries. Twenty three patients died within 90 days of being seen. The mean age of these patients was 75 years (range 52–100). Two of the 23 patients attended fracture clinic with lower limb injuries. Review of the medical records showed no evidence of pulmonary embolism. Assuming a worst case scenario that both died of fatal pulmonary embolism the incidence of fatal pulmonary embolism following attendance in fracture clinic with a lower limb injury is no higher than 0.036% (95% CI 0.09%–0.33%). Conclusion. The incidence of fatal PE following outpatient management of lower limb fractures is very low. This incidence data will inform decisions on the risk-benefit analyisis of thromboprophylaxis in this group of patients

Purpose: This study was designed to evaluate post-total joint arthroplasty patients who were sent for a chest CT scan in order to determine the clinical factors that were most likely to be associated with, and predictive of, a radiologic diagnosis of pulmonary embolism in the acute, postoperative period. Method: The current study involved a review of 540 total knee replacements and 543 total hip arthroplasty procedures performed from June 2008 to September 2009. All patients received postoperative VTE prophy-laxis using LMWH, as per the protocols established by the Alberta Bone and Joint Initiative, and consistent with the recommendations of the American College of Chest Physicians (2008). A pulmonary CT scan was ordered for patients in situations where. a pulmonary embolism was strongly suspected. for those who lacked a clear alternative diagnosis as an explanation for their findings. when steps to correct the suspected underlying condition failed to normalize results, or. in situations where the diagnosis (i.e. new-onset atrial fibrillation) warranted further investigation to rule out a PE as a possible cause. Patients referred for multidetector computed tomography to investigate the possibility of pulmonary embolus were identified, and subjected to a chart review. Results: Forty-two patients underwent a pulmonary CT scan investigation to rule out pulmonary embolus. Of these, 15 patients had undergone hip surgery, and 27 had undergone a total knee replacement. Of the 42 patients, 34 exhibited hypoxemia as their major presenting sign (oxygen saturation less than 90% on room air), with or without other signs or symptoms. Four patients presented with tachycardia alone, and 2 patients presented with chest pain, of which one patient had an associated arrhythmia. Of the 34 patients presenting with unexplained postoperative hypoxemia, 25 were patients who had undergone total knee replacement, and of these 25 patients, 14 (56%) were found to have a pulmonary embolus on CT scanning of the lungs. There were no PE’s identified in the post-hip population. None of the patients with PE’s presented with subjective dyspnea or chest pain. There were no fatalities as a result of PE. Conclusion: The overall high rate of detection of pulmonary embolism in our postoperative population is due the very close monitoring of pulse oximetry combined with the improved sensitivity of imaging modalities. Hypoxemia is emerging as the clinical sign that is most sensitive to the possibility of a PE in the post-knee arthroplasty patient. Reliance on clinical symptoms such as chest pain, dyspnea, or even tachycardia is no longer appropriate. It is recommended that oxygen saturation, as measured by pulse oximetry, should be monitored regularly on all post-arthroplasty patients. Hypoxemia should lead to a prompt and thorough medical workup. If an obvious explanation for the hypoxemia cannot be identified, the patient should undergo a multidetector CT scan to rule out a pulmonary embolus

Introduction. Peak incidence of pulmonary embolism (PE) typically occurs weeks after total hip (THA) or knee (TKA) arthroplasty, long after hospital discharge. We investigated risk factors for acute PE occurring during index hospitalisation. Methods. Retrospective review of an IRB-approved database identified 329 arthroplasties performed by a single surgeon between 2002 and 2007 at two University teaching hospitals. Warfarin (goal INR 2.0) was standard venous thromboembolism prophylaxis. Results. There were 126 (38.6%) primary THA, 86 (26.1%) primary TKA and 117 (35.3%) revision arthroplasties. Seven patients (7/329; 2.1%) experienced clinically evident non-fatal pulmonary embolism, including 5 after TKA (5/128; 3.9%) and 2 after THA (2/194; 1.0%). In-hospital PE occurred in 4 (1.2%) patients (3 TKA, 1 THA) at a mean 2.7 days (range 2-4 days) after operation, compared with 3 symptomatic events (2 TKA, 1 THA) occurring after discharge (mean 19.3 days; range 8-27 days). Three of four patients suffering acute in-hospital PE were on pre-operative warfarin for chronic atrial fibrillation. Among all patients on pre-operative warfarin, 3 (12.5%) sustained an early PE, with a relative risk of 38.1 times that of controls not on chronic warfarin therapy (p=0.001). Body mass index greater than 30 kg/m2, a history of previous venous thromboembolism, coronary artery disease, ASA score, and type of operation were all found to not be associated with increased risk of in-hospital PE. Conclusion. Acute symptomatic in-hospital pulmonary embolism was correlated with chronic pre-operative warfarin anticoagulation. Compared to historical controls, time to PE was shorter in patients on chronic warfarin. Rebound hypercoagulability after discontinuation of chronic warfarin in preparation for total joint arthroplasty represents a greater hazard than excessive bleeding; we advocate bridging anticoagulation with LMWH in these patients

Introduction. Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is one of the most successful surgeries to relieve pain and dysfunction caused by severe arthritis. However, it is a still big problem that there is a possibility of death in pulmonary embolism (PE) after TKA. We previously reported that there was more incidence of asymptomatic PE than estimated in general by detail examinations. But it was difficult to whom we decided to perform additional examinations except the patients with some doubtful symptoms. Therefore, we investigated detail of PE patients after primary TKA to find out anything key point in PE. Methods. Consecutive ninety-nine patients who underwent primary TKA from January 2015 to March 2018 were applied. There were 23 male and 76 females included, and the mean age was 73.7 years old. There were 96 cases of osteoarthritis, 2 cases of osteonecrosis and one of rheumatoid arthritis. A single knee surgery team performed all operations with cemented type prostheses and air tourniquet during operation. There were 35 cases of one-staged bilateral TKA and 64 of unilateral TKA. Detail examinations with contrast enhanced CT (CE-CT) and venous ultrasonography (US) were performed at the 3rd day after surgery. Next, we applied ultra sound cardiogram (UCG) to the patients diagnosed as PE by CE-CT, we checked right ventricular overload (RVO) to treat PE. These images were read by a single senior radiologist team. Results. CE-CT was performed in 87 patients (87.8%) and US was in all patients. The incidence of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) was 67 patients (67.6%), and all of these was distal type DVT. PE was 17 patients (17.1%), and each of patients had no symptoms. RVO was detected in 5 patients (5.0%), and two of them (2.0%) had decreased SpO2 in early 90% perioperative period. All patients did not change rehabilitation protocol and progress was good until discharge. Conclusion. We investigated consecutive 99 patients for DVT/PE after primary TKA using CE-CT and venous US. And we performed UCG to PE patients. One of the important findings to decide detail examination for asymptomatic PE was decrease in SpO2 during early perioperative period. It might be the only finding except symptom. We also have to be more aware about high incidence of asymptomatic PE and more careful to the patients after TKA to prevent complications. For any figures or tables, please contact authors directly

Fatal pulmonary embolism (PE) after total hip replacement (THR) is a major concern to all orthopaedic surgeons. Our intention was to ascertain death rates and deaths due to PE following total hip replacement where chemical thromboprophylaxis was not used routinely. We determined retrospectively, the postoperative mortality and fatal pulmonary embolism rates in 1671 consecutive primary total hop replacements in 1547 patients performed as staged procedures between January 1997 and April 2000 at an orthopaedic hospital. The minimum follow-up period was six weeks period after surgery at an orthopaedic hospital. Patients were traced by questionnaires, outpatient appointments and by telephone. Post-mortem records were used to verify cause of death. Follow-up was 100%. The death rate from PE was 0. 12% (CI 0. 03% – 0. 44%) and the all-cause mortality rate was 0. 36% (CI 0. 16% – 0. 78%). All deaths were within the first 10 days during the initial hospital stay. The patient mortality was compared with the population mortality for England and Wales, using standardised mortality ratios (SMRs). The SMR for both sexes combined was 0. 81. We observed a lower mortality in females (SMR=0. 43) but a higher mortality in males (SMR=1. 44) during the first 42 postoperative days compared to the general population. Fatal PE after THR without routine chemical thromboprophylaxis is very uncommon. The death rate in patients undergoing THR appears to be lower than that in the general population

Summary Statement. Pulmonary embolism (PE) after total knee arthroplasty can have a significant impact on patient outcomes and healthcare costs. Efforts to prevent or minimise PE over the last 10 years have not had a significant impact on its occurrence at the national level. Introduction. Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a rare but known potentially devastating complication of total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Significant healthcare resources and pharmaceutical research has been recently focused on preventing this complication but limited data exists regarding the early results of this great effort. The purpose of this study was to assess recent national trends in PE occurrence after TKA and evaluate patient outcomes related to this adverse event. Methods. International Classification of Disease - 9th Revision (ICD-9) procedure codes were used to search the National Hospital Discharge Survey (NHDS) for all patients admitted to US hospitals after primary TKA for each year between 2001 and 2010. ICD-9 diagnosis codes were then used to identify patients from this population who developed an acute PE during the same admission. Data regarding patient demographics, hospitalization length, discharge disposition, deep vein thrombosis, mortality, and hospital size/location were gathered from the NHDS. Trends were evaluated by linear regression with Pearson's correlation coefficient (r) and statistical comparisons were made using Student's t-test, z-test for proportions, and chi-square analysis with a significance level of 0.05. Results. 35,220 patients admitted for a primary TKA were identified. 159 (0.045%) of these patients developed an acute PE during the same admission. After adjusting for fluctuations in annual TKA performed, the development of PE after TKA demonstrated a weak negative correlation with time (r=0.17), insignificantly decreasing from an average rate of 0.049% between 2001–2005 to 0.041% between 2006–2010 (p=0.26). The size of the hospital was found to significantly impact the incidence of PE and primary TKA, with the lowest rate seen in hospitals under 100 beds (0.23%) and the highest rate seen in those with over 500 beds (0.65%, p=0.01). No significant differences in PE incidence were noted based on US region (p=0.38). The mean age of patients with PE was 67.7 years. This group included 54 men and 105 women. The non-PE group had a mean patient age that was insignificantly lower at 66.6 years (p=0.21) and included 12,450 men and 22,611 women. Gender was also not significantly different (p=0.68) between those with PE and those without PE. The number of medical co-morbidities was significantly higher in those with PE (mean 6.42 diagnoses) than those without PE (mean 4.89 diagnoses, p<0.01). Average hospitalization length also varied based on PE status, with significantly longer stays for those with PE (8.2 days, range 2–53) compared to those without PE (3.7 days, range 1–95, p<0.01). The rate of deep vein thrombosis was higher in the PE group (12.7%) versus the non-PE group (0.48%, p<0.01). Mortality was also significantly higher for the PE group (3.9%) compared to the non-PE group (0.09%, p<0.01). Discharge disposition did not significantly vary based on PE status, with 61.5% of PE and 64.0% of non-PE patients able to go directly home (p=0.59) after their inpatient stay. Discussion/Conclusion. This study demonstrates that PE can have a significant impact on patient outcomes and healthcare costs, with an associated 43-fold increase in mortality and a doubling of the inpatient admission duration. Additionally, although the risk of PE after primary TKA remains rare, it still persists. Efforts to prevent or minimise this complication over the last 10 years have not had a significant impact on its occurrence at the national level. This risk of PE appears to be greatest in patients with multiple medical co-morbidities and established DVTs. Interestingly, the PE rate also demonstrated variability based on hospital size. The reasons for this are not clear, but we suspect larger hospitals are more likely to be tertiary-care centers and thus care for more medically-complex patients

Introduction. Pulmonary embolism (PE) complicates up to 1% of total joint arthroplasties (TJA). Many PE treatment guidelines call for immediate initiation of therapeutic anticoagulation. Options include Xa inhibitors, Enoxaparin, and Warfarin. Deciding between these is a balance of the efficacy and the risks. Little data exists regarding the risks of each of these treatment options for treating PE in arthroplasty patients. Methods. We examined the records of 29,270 patients who underwent a primary total joint arthroplasty (TJA), defined as a unilateral total knee arthroplasty (TKA) (18,987) or total hip arthroplasty (THA) (10,283), between 2/2016 and 12/2018 at our institution and identified 338 (242 TKA, 96 THA) patients who developed an in-hospital PE treated with therapeutic anticoagulation. The patients were treated with therapeutic doses of Xa inhibitors, enoxaparin or warfarin. The type and frequency of complications were determined and classified as major or minor. Major complication included: bleeding requiring surgery, GI bleed requiring treatment, >2 unit transfusion and mortality. Minor complications included wound drainage, bleeding not requiring surgery, and thrombocytopenia. Results. Overall complication rates were high for all treatments. Xa inhibitors had the lowest complication rate at 14% compared to 20% for enoxaparin and 20.7% for warfarin though the difference did not quite reach statistical significance (p=.054). Both major and minor complication were lower with Xa inhibitors, but again the difference was not statistically significant (p=0.67). There was no significant difference in complications between TKA groups (p=0.73) or THA groups (p=0.83). Gender and body mass index were not predictive of major or minor complications. Discussion. Our results demonstrate high complication rates associated with modern therapeutic anticoagulation protocols for perioperative PE following TJA. Patients who receive therapeutic anticoagulation postoperatively are at high risk for complication. Xa inhibitors may decrease these risks, but larger studies are required

Introduction:. Although the risk of pulmonary embolism (PE) or other embolic events associated with total joint arthroplasty have been recorded for some time, to date no direct means of these events in human arthroplasty have reported. This prospective study was designed to clarify the pathophysiologic mechanism of PE after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Methods:. Nine patients fulfilling the following selection criteria were included in this prospective study: diagnosis of osteoarthosis, age 60 to 75 years, cemented primary TKA. All patients had a baseline pulmonary perfusion scan 2 days prior to the surgery. TKA was performed in the standard manner under general anesthesia. Monitoring of the heart chambers during the course of the TKA was performed using a 5 MHz ultrasonic transducer placed into the esophagus. The 4-chamber view plane of the heart was then imaged using a 2-dimensional echocardiography. A tip of the catheter inserted from the contralateral femoral vein was also placed in the inferior vena cava to harvest the venous blood flowed from the suffered lower extremity before and after tourniquet release. All patients had pulmonary perfusion scans 3 hours after TKA and on the 21st postoperative day. The ventilation-perfusion scan was compared with the baseline perfusion scan. Results:. No symptomatic PE were identified. Using transesophageal echocardiographic monitoring, the heaviest flow of embolic particles in the right heart was observed 2 seconds after tourniquet release and lasted approximately 30 seconds. By squeezing the calf muscle, the heavy flow of embolic particles was again observed. The venous blood harvested through the catheter after tourniquet release had fat droplets and white coagula. All of patients had pulmonary perfusion defects 3 hours after TKA, but no pulmonary perfusion defects on the 21st postoperative day. Discussion and Conclusions:. Substantial amounts of embolic materials were seen in the right heart using transesophageal echocardiography in patients operated in the standard manner. It was demonstrated that these embolic materials consisted of fat droplets and white coagula. We also demonstrated that many embolic materials for PE and/or DVT originated in the calf. All of patients had pulmonary perfusion defects just after TKA. It was concluded that all of the patients who underwent TKA had asymptomatic PE just after the surgery. Therefore, all of the patients have a possibility of symptomatic PE just after TKA

In order to prevent fatal pulmonary embolism TED stockings, foot pumps and early mobilisation on the second post-operative day are used at our centre. Only patients deemed to be high risk (previous DVT/PE or obese) are given Clexane as an inpatient and Warfarin for six weeks post op. 1137 primary hips and 1017 primary knees were identified using the hospital database and the figures confirmed with the theatre implant order books. Those patients now deceased on the database had their death certificates obtained from the coroner. No patients had died from pulmonary embolism within three months post operation. 34 patients had been discharged on Warfarin according to the pharmacy records. We would therefore not recommend the routine use of chemical thromboprophylaxis following joint replacement

Purpose. With the advent of newer diagnostic imaging tools, the reported prevalence of acute pulmonary embolism (PE) following total hip (THA) and total knee (TKA) arthroplasty appears to be increasing. However, the true prevalence and clinical relevance of these events are unclear. Our study was designed to evaluate the results of routine multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT) in this patient population in the early postoperative period. Method. We prospectively performed MDCT scans on 48 consecutive THA/TKA patients on the first postoperative day in 2009. Patients underwent routine postoperative care and data were collected regarding the development of symptoms such as tachycardia, fever, chest pain, or shortness of breath. Scans were kept blinded and read at the end of study recruitment for the diagnosis of acute PE. Results. Our cohort included 27 TKA patients and 21 THA patients. None of the 48 patients had any symptoms of PE. Among the TKR patients, 11 (41%) of the CT scans were read as positive for acute PE compared with 1 (5%) of the THR patients (p=0.004). All of the patients diagnosed with asymptomatic PE were discharged from hospital without treatment for venous thromboembolism (VTE) and without developing any clinical symptoms suggestive of VTE. One TKA patient, who had a negative CT scan on the first postoperative day, was diagnosed with symptomatic PE the following day. Conclusion. Our study demonstrates a high rate of abnormal MDCT early following lower extremity arthroplasty, the clinical significance of which may be benign. This finding is also important in the interpretation of MDCT obtained after a clinical suspicion of PE in these patients

Background. Post-operative deep venous thrombosis (DVT) and subsequent pulmonary embolism (PE) remain a serious complication after total joint replacement. Although with modern chemical and mechanical prophylaxis and rapid rehabilitation the rate of symptomatic DVT and PE has reduced, isolation of pre-operative DVT, specially in patients with prior history of DVT remains a challenge. The aim of this study was to assess the use of pre-operative dopplers as a tool to detect and identify prior DVT in patients undergoing total joint replacement. Methods. Between January 2014 and December 2014, 211 elective primary and revision hip and knee arthroplasty were identified from our prospective institutional database. All cases were performed by two adult reconstruction specialists. All primary total hip arthroplasties (THA) were non-cemented and all primary total knee arthroplasties (TKA) were cemented with similar implant and technique. Prior to July 2014, only patients with prior history of DVT or PE underwent pre-operative dopplers. From July 2014, all cases underwent routine pre-operative doppler screening. All patients with clinical symptoms of calf pain underwent post-operative dopplers. Patients were followed for a minimum of 3 month post-operatively. All emergency room (ER) visits for role out DVT were identified. No patient was lost to follow. Results. 115 patients patient underwent pre-operative dopplers. Three patients had a history of prior popliteal DVT, none of which had post-operative DVT or PE. In the remaining 112 patients, none of the pre-operative dopplers were positive for DVT. 34 patients in this group (29%) underwent post-operative dopplers, either during the hospital stay or in the ER within 3 month after index surgery. Only one patient developed symptomatic PE (0.8%) after total knee arthroplasty. 96 patients did not have pre-operative dopplers, 3 of which (3%) had symptomatic DVT and PE during hospital stay, all after total knee arthroplasty. There was no statistical difference for rate of symptomatic DVT/PE between the two groups (p=0.3). There was no correlation between DVT and obesity, age, or revision versus primary cases. Discussion and Conclusions. Routine pre-operative dopplers do not significantly lower rate of symptomatic DVT/PE and are not helpful in early detection and prevention in asymptomatic patients prior to routine total joint replacement

Aim: To determine retrospectively the post-operative mortality and fatal pulmonary embolism (PE) rates in 936 consecutive primary total knee replacements (TKR) in the three month period after surgery where chemical thromboprophylaxis was not routinely used. Methods: Operations were performed over a period of eleven years by eight different senior orthopaedic surgeons on 248 men and 525 women. One hundred and sixty three patients had bilateral TKRs and the mean age at the time of operation was similar (69.4 and 72.2 years respectively). Patients were traced by out-patient appointments, telephone and through their general practitioners (GPs). Post-mortem examinations were used to verify cause of death in all save three of the cases. All but one of the patients were followed up. Results: There were no deaths from PE confirmed by post-mortem examinations. As three patients were certified dead without post-mortem examination and one patient could not be traced this meant that, at worst, our fatal PE rate was 0.43% (4/936; CI 0.14%–1.17%). The all-cause mortality rate was 0.64% (6/936; CI 0.26%–0.46%) (Table 1). The patient mortality was compared with the population mortality of England and Wales using standardised mortality ratios (SMRs). The SMR for both sexes combined was 0.74 (CI 0.29–1.52). We observed a lower mortality in females SMR = 0.67 and males SMR = 0.84 during the first three post-operative months than compared to the general population. Conclusion: Fatal pulmonary embolism after total knee replacement without routine chemical thromboprophylaxis is uncommon. The overall death rate in this series of patients undergoing total knee replacement appears to be lower than that in the general population

Aim. To assess the incidence of fatal pulmonary embolism (PE) following elective total knee replacement (TKR) with a standardised multi-modal prophylaxis regime in a large teaching DGH over a 10 year period. Material and methods. Information was gathered from a prospective audit database, utilising clinical coding for TKR and those that had died within 42 and 90 days. The 10 years from April 2000 were analysed to establish both 42 and 90 day mortality rates. A multi-modal prophylaxis regime for all patients included regional anaesthesia (when possible), mechanical prophylaxis (Flo-tron calf garment per-operatively, AV impulse boots until mobile and anti-embolism stockings for 6 weeks), mobilisation within 24 hours and 75mg aspirin for 4 weeks. A case note review was performed to ascertain the causes of death. Where a patient had been referred to the coroner, the coroner's office was contacted for PM results. Results. There were 6,584 cases; the mortality rates at 42 and 90 days were 0.36 and 0.52%. There were no fatal PE's within 42 days of surgery. 2 fatal PE's occurred subsequently at 48 and 57 days (0.03%) The leading causes of death were myocardial infarction and cerebro-vascular accident. Conclusion. Fatal pulmonary embolus following elective TKR with a multi-modal prophylaxis regime is not a significant cause of mortality

Purpose: Fat or marrow embolism during or after bone and joint surgery is a serious complication. We wanted to determine the incidence and circumstances of peroperative embolism in patients undergoing lumbar spine surgery with and without instrumentation. Material and methods: Sixty adult patients with degenerative lumbar spines underwent peroperative and early postoperative transoesophageal ultrasonography. The lumbar procedure involved instrumentation with insertion of pedicular screws in 40 patients. Results: Moderate to severe signs of embolism (Pitto classification grade 2 or 3) were observed in 80% of the patients who underwent instrumentation procedures but in none of those who had not been instrumented (p < 0.001). Discussion: Among the different procedures performed on the posterior lumbar spine, insertion of pedicular screws appears to be the leading cause of pulmonary embolism. The approach, laminectomy, discectomy, and bone abrasion do not appear to produce detectable embolism. Conclusion: We consider that the observed embolic manifestations, also observed in intramedullar procedures, are potentially fatal after spinal surgery

Purpose of the study: The aim of this study was to determine risk factors for clinically relevant pulmonary embolism (PE) in patients undergoing elective knee arthroplasty. Methods and results: We performed a retrospective analysis of 956 total knee arthroplasties performed at our institution between June 2007 and May 2008 to identify patients with postoperative PE confirmed by computed tomography pulmonary angiogram (CTPA). All patients had received foot pumps, thromboembolism deterrent stockings and 75mg of Aspirin postoperatively. Patients with PE were matched for age, gender, surgeon, date and type of surgery with a control group of 32 patients. Patients case notes were reviewed to identify known risk factors for PE such as age, gender, ASA grade, BMI, medical comorbidities, pre-operative haemoglobin (Hb), postoperative Hb, drop in Hb, day mobilised postoperatively, tourniquet time and temperature in the postoperative period. Statistical analysis was performed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 12.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, Illinos). Twenty one (2.2 %) cases were identified with CTPA confirmed PE. Of the various risk factors studied, delay in postoperative mobilization was the only significant risk factor for PE (p=0.019). None of the other risk factors were significant for PE. Postoperative pain was the commonest reason for delayed mobilisation followed by lower limb paraesthesia from regional nerve blocks. Conclusion: We found that a delay in postoperative mobilization was the most significant risk factor for clinically relevant PE in our patient population following knee arthroplasty. The use of chemical thromboprophylaxis for all patients undergoing elective knee arthroplasty is currently under debate. Not all patients are at equal risk, however, and chemical prophylaxis is not devoid of complications. Early postoperative mobilization of all patients may help prevent this potentially fatal complication

Background. Post-operative deep venous thrombosis (DVT) and subsequent pulmonary embolism (PE) remain a serious complication after total joint replacement. Although with modern chemical and mechanical prophylaxis and rapid rehabilitation the rate of symptomatic DVT and PE has reduced, isolation of pre-operative DVT, especially in patients with prior history of DVT remains a challenge. The aim of this study was to assess the utility of pre-operative dopplers as a tool to screen and reduce DVT/PE rate in patients undergoing total joint replacement. Methods. Between January 2014 and December 2014, 211 elective primary hip and knee arthroplasty were identified from our prospective institutional database as two consecutive cohorts (115 cases had pre-operative dopplers and 96 did not). All cases were performed by two adult reconstruction specialists. All primary total hip arthroplasties (THA) were non-cemented and all primary total knee arthroplasties (TKA) were cemented with similar implant and technique. In the first cohort, all cases underwent routine pre-operative doppler screening and in the control cohort, only patients with prior history of DVT or PE underwent pre-operative dopplers. All patients with clinical symptoms of calf pain underwent post-operative dopplers. Patients were followed for a minimum of 3 month post-operatively. All emergency room (ER) visits for role out DVT were identified. No patient was lost to follow. Results. In the cohort with pre-operative dopplers, none of the pre-operative dopplers were positive for DVT, including three patients that had a history of prior DVT. 34 patients in this group (29%) underwent post-operative dopplers, either during the hospital stay or in the ER within 3 month after index surgery. Only one patient (no prior history of DVT) developed symptomatic DVT/PE (0.8%) after total knee arthroplasty. In the control cohort, 3 of which (3%) had symptomatic DVT, one of which had PE (1%) during hospital stay, all after total knee arthroplasty. There was no statistical difference for rate of symptomatic DVT/PE between the two groups (p=0.3). There was no correlation between DVT and age, gender or BMI. Discussion and Conclusions. Utilization of routine pre-operative dopplers for all patients did not lower the rate of symptomatic DVT/PE and are not helpful in early detection and prevention in asymptomatic patients prior to routine total joint replacement. Pre-operative dopplers should be used in selected patients with high risk of DVT

Background: The standard diagnostic approach in patients suspected of having pulmonary embolism starts with D-dimer and perfusion-ventilation lung scanning. If the resulting scan is not diagnostic, pulmonary angiography will perform. Aims: This study evaluates the effectiveness of D-dimer as a screening tool for Pulmonary Embolism (PE) and to determine the accuracy and potential clinical utility of VQ scan in the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism in orthopaedic trauma patient. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 757 consecutive trauma admissions involving lower extremity and spinal injuries over 12 months and identified 20 patients with symptoms mimicking PE, without typical clinical symptoms, which underwent rotten investigations for PE (ABG, Blood test, D dimer, Chest X-ray and VQ scan). Plasma D-dimer levels were measured as a prerequisite test in all patients before undergoing VQ scan to confirm the absence of PE. All patients had either mechanical, such as foot pumps, or chemical DVT prophylaxis. Results: The mean age was 65 (ranging from 45–88) years, there were 11 female and 9 male. D-dimer levels in the postoperative or post traumatic period were elevated. Mean value was 3.63 (sd=2.72, range 0.60–14.34), Comparing D-dimer levels between those treated operatively (14 patients) and those treated conservatively (6 patients) we found that both groups displayed the same trend; however levels were higher following surgery. The classical triad of dyspnoea, pleuritic chest pain and haemoptysis occurred in only 2 patients. Signs of DVT were present in 3 patients. The electrocardiographs were normal in only 4 patients, though changes particularly suggestive of PE (S1Q3T3, Right bundle branch block or right heart strains) were absent in all of the patients. Chest X-ray changes were of limited value. None showed any of the supposedly characteristic changes. All of the patients had a VQ scan were started on chemical treatment for PE and non of them had definite PE, 12 the patients had probable PE Those patient with probable scan were not subsequently given anticoagulants owing to their medical conditions. Conclusion: The D-dimer level is never normal (< 0.5mg/l), following total trauma, and so cannot exclude a DVT or PE. The level it raises to is indistinguishable form that seen in the population with a PE and so cannot identify those patients in whom further investigation is warranted. VQ scan is not a definitive diagnosis we should rely more and more on a CT Angiography scan for the diagnosis of PE in this group of patients. This should be organised by medical team, especially with shortening of training time, to avoid wasting of resources and time which are of paramount. Requesting a D-dimer test in this population wastes time and resources and is of no benefit

Combined multi-detector row CT (MD-CT) pulmonary angiography (CTPA) and lower extremity venography (CTV) is an effective method for detection of pulmonary embolism (PE) and deep vein thrombosis (DVT). However, the usefulness of this method after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) has not been reported. The aim of this study is to evaluate our screening program in the management of thromboembolism. Over a 1.5-year period, 30 patients with primary TKA were examined using an MD-CT (Lightspeed ultra 16.GE) before and 7th day after operation. 25 seconds after intravenous administration of 320ml of contrast material, CTPA was performed with 1.25-mm collimation and CTV from the iliac crest to the ankles was done with 0.625-mm collimation 165 seconds after contrastmaterial injection. The mean age of the patients was 72.2 (53–80). Twenty patients had osteoarthritis, nine had rheumatoid arthritis and one osteonecrosis. All patients were received 4 weeks of warfarin therapy and prophylaxis. PE was observed in A1+2, A3, A6, A9, A10 area. PE was most frequently detected in A10 area of pulmonary artery (6/30). While, DVT was detected in only popliteal vein (6/30). The incidence of PE was 30% (9/30)and DVT 20% (6/30). Both PE and DVT were observed in 3 patients, the incidence was 10% (3/30). Combined CTPA and CTV is a safe and accurate diagnotic method for detecting PE and DVT after TKA, and the ability to directly visualize emboli of this system is effective as therapeutic tool

Introduction. There is insufficient data on the trends of anticoagulation after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in the USA, and the efficacy and safety of rivaroxaban, beyond randomized clinical trials and small cohort studies. Patients and Methods. Using the Truven Health MarketScan database, we retrospectively evaluated new anticoagulation prescriptions after elective TKA from 2010 to 2015. The frequency of deep vein thrombosis (DVT), pulmonary embolism (PE), and adverse events, within 90 days, were then evaluated in 24,856 new users of warfarin and 21,398 new users of rivaroxaban in commercially insured patients (COM), and 15,483 new users of warfarin and 8,997 new users of rivaroxaban in Medicare supplement patients (MED). Data was analyzed by odds ratios using logistic regression models with stabilized inverse probability treatment weighting. Results. Warfarin use decreased from approximately 50% to 17% in COM patients and 60% to 25% in MED patients. Rivaroxaban use increased from 0 to 35% in COM patients and from 0 to 39% in MED patients. Older patients, females, a history of DVT, renal impairment, use of antiplatelet agents or surgery performed as an outpatient had lower odds of getting rivaroxaban. Patients in Western region and having surgery in 2015 had higher odds of getting rivaroxaban. COM patients with capitated insurance plans and a history of PE had lower odds of rivaroxaban initiation. MED patients with atrial fibrillation, cardiovascular disease or hyperlipidemia had lower odds of rivaroxaban initiation. Warfarin users had significantly higher odds ratio of DVT (OR 2.06 in COM patients and OR 2.21 in MED patients) and PE (OR 2.03 in COM patients and OR 2.16 in MED patients) than rivaroxaban users. There were no statistically significant differences in the bleeding risk between the two agents, but warfarin users had a significantly higher odds ratio of periprosthetic infection in both COM (1.57) and MED (1.79) patients. Conclusions. There has been an increase in prophylaxis with rivaroxaban, and a decrease in both warfarin and LMWH use after elective TKA over four years. Rivaroxaban had lower odds ratio of both DVT and PE than warfarin, and bleeding risks were similar. For figures, tables, or references, please contact authors directly