Title: Does Low Molecular Weight Heparin prevent symptomatic DVTs in patient with lower leg casts<br/>Author: Michael Bond<br/><a href='http://umem.org/profiles/faculty/78/'>[Click to email author]</a><hr/><p> <u><strong>Take Home Point:</strong></u></p> <ul> <li> According to a recent article in the NEJM there does not seem to be any difference in the rate of symptomatic venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients given low molecular weight heparin that underwent arthorscopy or had lower leg casting at 3 months. </li> <li> Overall, the rates of VTE were really low <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">( casting: 1.4% vs. 1.8%; arthroscopy: 0.7% vs. 0.4%)</span>, so there is probably not need for prophalaxis in these patients. </li> </ul>
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<fieldset><legend>References</legend>
<p> van Adrichem RA, Nemeth B, Algra A, le Cessie S, Rosendaal FR, Schipper IB, et al. Thromboprophylaxis after Knee Arthroscopy and Lower-Leg Casting. N Engl J Med 2016.</p> <p> </p> </fieldset>