Venous thromboembolism in major orthopedic surgery.

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is one of the most important complications in orthopedic surgery. Deep-vein thrombosis occurs frequently after surgery with few clinical symptoms. Formed emboli are thought to cause pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE). It is well known that PTE has a high-mortality rate when it develops. The cost of medical care is doubled when VTE develops after surgery. As a result, it is imperative to focus on the prevention of VTEs following major orthopedic surgeries.The prevention method should be selected in consideration of the balance between the VTE and bleeding risks owing to drug prophylaxis. It is recommended that we choose either physical or drug prophylaxis, or both. To perform VTE prophylaxis, we need to explain the risks and merits of prophylaxis and ensure that these are understood by patients.