Drug prophylaxis of deep vein thrombosis in traumatology

There are no guidelines for the use of heparin in the prophylaxis of deep v ein thrombosis in outpatients. In a prospective clinical investigation in 1 996 and 1997, 1321 outpatients after trauma of the lower extremities were s creened by duplex-color-coded-ultrasound in order to detect deep vein throm bosis. There were two separate groups: group A with drug prophylaxis of dee p vein thrombosis (n = 723) and group B (n = 598) without. The classification A or B was mainly related to the ability of weight beari ng (at least 20 kp) and of ankle mobility (at least 20 degrees). Patients w ho did not achieve both criteria were classified in group A and were treate d with heparin until they attained a higer level of activity (B). Group A s howed 30 deep vein thrombosis while group B had no thromboembolic complicat ions. We conclude that outpatients achieving a level of activity close to a physi ological situation will show no thromboembolic complications.