Postoperative deep venous thrombosis in Japan. Incidence and prophylaxis.

The incidence of postoperative deep venous thrombosis was investigated using the iodine-125-fibrinogen method in 256 patients undergoing major surgery. Deep venous thrombosis was found in 49 patients (15.3 percent), and nonfatal pulmonary embolism developed in one of seven patients in whom the thrombus extended to the popliteal vein. The same investigation was performed in 110 patients who wore a graduated compression stocking on one leg, with the other leg serving as a control. Deep venous thrombosis was found in 4 of 110 stockinged legs (3.6 percent) and in 16 of 110 control legs (14.5 percent). The incidence of deep venous thrombosis decreased significantly in patients who wore the stocking. An increase in femoral venous flow velocity was found in the stockinged legs by the Doppler method. The mean velocity of venous return by xenon-133 clearance was significantly greater in the stockinged legs than in the control legs. These findings were considered to support the efficacy of graduated compression stockings for the prevention of deep venous thrombosis.