Low incidence of asymptomatic deep venous thrombosis following caesarean section: a colour Doppler study.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the incidence of puerperal asymptomatic deep venous thrombosis (DVT) amongst women undergoing Caesarean section.

DESIGN

Prospective observational study.

SETTING

Ninewells Hospital, Dundee.

SUBJECTS: One hundred and twenty-nine women delivered by Caesarean section underwent lower limb colour Doppler imaging (CDI) between days two and five postpartum.

RESULTS

No cases of DVT were detected using CDI. During the study, there was one case of confirmed pulmonary embolism in the early puerperium with no evidence of persisting thrombosis.

CONCLUSION

The incidence of asymptomatic DVT post-Caesarean section is very low and appears to be lower than that previously described using nonultrasound methods of detection. This information should be useful for those wishing to design guidelines of thromboprophylaxis for this population.