Keeping the blood flowing

A waterfall with beautiful softness illustrating the delicacy of flow

Keeping the venous blood flowing after knee arthroplasty is vital. The image is CC by Dominik Starosz

As always it is interesting with a randomized controlled trial (RCT). I recently stumbled upon Westrich et al’s RCT on prophylaxis after knee arthroplasties. They randomized between aspirin and enoxaparin (LMWH) where both groups received mechanical pumps immediately after surgery. The difference in DVT:s was really small, 14% vs 18% in favor for enoxaparin. This was not significant in 275 patients. Continue reading