Prophylaxis of thromboembolic disease using aspirin was studied
prospectively in 340 patients undergoing total hip replacement, excluding
those with prior thromboembolic disease. Clinical criteria were used to
diagnose thrombophlebitis, while clinical criteria, roentgenography,
blood-gas determinations, electrocardiography, and pulmonary vascular
scanning were used to diagnose pulmonary emboli. Five patients had signs of
symptoms of pulmonary emboli, all confirmed by pulmonary vascular scan. No
fatal pulmonary emboli occurred. Twenty-six patients had thrombophlebitis.
Without simultaneous control group, a reduction in postoperative
thromboembolic disease in these patients receiving aspirin was not proved.
However, the observed low incidence of clinically evident thromboembolic
manifestations suggests that aspirin may be a simple and useful
prophylactic agent in these patients.