Usefulness of arterial blood gas analysis and D-dimer measurement in the assessment of pulmonary embolism after orthopedic surgery

Patients with the above criteria showed a high prevalence of PE. Moreover, 10 (11.7%) of the 85 patients were diagnosed as having PE, which corresponded to the prevalence in our former studies where lung scans were performed in all patients. The blood gas analysis and the Ddimer measurement may be utilized as the first screening examinations.