Chinese Orthopedic Surgeons' Practice Regarding Postoperative Thromboembolic Prophylaxis after Major Orthopedic Surgery

ObjectiveTo assess Chinese surgeon practice of thromboprophylaxis following major orthopedic surgery.MethodsA questionnaire survey was conducted amongst Chinese orthopedic surgeons. A total of 293 surgeons were surveyed concerning five key aspects of thromboembolic prophylaxis after major orthopedic surgery at the proseminar of Chinese guidelines for prevention of venous thromboembolism (VTE) after major orthopedic surgery in January of 2009.ResultsTotally, 208 surgeons (71.0%) responded, successfully completing the questionnaire. Of them, 57.6% respondents selected combined basic, mechanical, and pharmacologic methods for thromboprophylaxis; 51.0% respondents prefer starting prophylaxis 12-24 hours after surgery; 60.3% surgeons would use chemoprophylaxis for 7–10 days; 47.6% respondents prefer VTE prevention based on patients' special conditions and needs upon discharge. “Safety” was the most repeated and emphasized factor during VTE prophylaxis.ConclusionsMultimodal thromboprophylaxis is frequently used after major orthopedic surgery. Half surgeons prefer to start chemoprophylaxis 12–24 hours after surgery. Thromboprophylaxis regimen varies for discharged patients.