DVT after knee arthroscopy.(deep venous thrombosis)(Clinical report)

The question about whether to give prophylaxis to reduce the risk of serious DVT depends on how likely DVT is in the first place. After some major orthopaedic surgery, estimates of DVT incidence are quite high, perhaps occurring in four of every five patients. In that case, prophylaxis with low molecular weight heparin would seem to be sensible.

Most, though not all, patients who have knee arthroscopy are relatively young, and deep venous thrombosis is rarely a complication, with more serious pulmonary embolism even rarer. But DVT can have sequelae that are far from pleasant, including painful swellings, ulceration, and in extreme cases amputation.

So what is …