PREVENTION OF DEEP-VEIN THROMBOSIS AFTER MAJOR SPINAL SURGERY - A COMPARISON STUDY OF EXTERNAL DEVICES

We studied the difference in postoperative thrombotic complications af ter major spinal surgery between two commonly used external compressio n devices. Our 136 subjects were prospectively randomized to receive e ither thigh-high sequential pneumatic compression wraps or pneumatic f oot-compression wraps. All were studied postoperatively with duplex ul trasonography and analyzed for leg swelling, the rate of thrombotic ev ents, and overall subjective patient comfort. The rate of postoperativ e thrombosis was 1.5%. The one pulmonary embolism was successfully tre ated with heparin. One other patient had a small asymptomatic thrombus of the saphenous vein. Both subjects wore foot wraps. Subjectively, t he devices were rated as being equally comfortable. We believe that ex ternal compression for thrombosis prophylaxis after major spinal surge ry is effective. The particular device chosen may be driven by other f actors such as cost, physician or nursing preference, and ease of appl ication.