The use of graduated compression stockings in the prevention of postoperative deep vein thrombosis

✍ Scribed by A. Allan; J. T. Williams; J. P. Bolton; Professor L. P. Le Quesne

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1983
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 349 KB
• Volume: 70
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0007-1323
• DOI: 10.1002/bjs.1800700311

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

The efficacy of graduated compression stockings in the prevention of postoperative deep vein thrombosis was studied in a randomized, prospective, controlled trial of 200 patients, aged 40 years and over, undergoing abdominal surgery (100 for benign disease, 100 for malignant conditions). Deep vein thrombosis was diagnosed by the 125I-fibrinogen test. The incidence of deep vein thrombosis was 35·9 per cent in the control group (103 patients) and 15·5 per cent in the stockinged group (97 patients) (P < 0·025). In the patients with benign disease, deep vein thrombosis developed in 24·5 per cent of the control limbs and 6·1 per cent of stockinged limbs (P < 0·005); in patients with malignant disease the similar figures were 27·9 and 11·5 per cent (P < 0·05). Increasing age did not alter the efficacy of the stockings. It is concluded that graduated compression stockings provide a safe and effective method of prophylaxis against deep vein thrombosis.