The cases of 112 patients who were treated intravenously with heparin
for thromboembolic disease after total joint arthroplasty were reviewed.
The over-all frequency of bleeding complications that were associated with
therapy with heparin was approximately 30 per cent. In patients who were
treated within six days after total joint replacement, the frequency of
bleeding complications was 45 per cent. The prevalence of bleeding problems
declined to 15 per cent in patients who were treated more than one week
after arthroplasty. In roughly 35 per cent of the patients, therapy with
heparin had to be discontinued because of complications. Thrombocytopenia
developed in fewer than 5 per cent of the patients. It was concluded that
anticoagulation therapy with heparin for clinically unimportant
thromboembolic problems in the immediate postoperative period is not
justified.