Strengths and limitations of standards of care to guide the orthopedic surgeon in VTE prevention.

With respect to VTE prevention, several steps can be taken by orthopedic surgeons to ensure the best standard of patient care. All patients should be assessed for VTE risk and appropriate prophylaxis should be provided. Venous thromboembolism prophylaxis guidelines, hospital protocols, and risk assessment models can guide orthopedic surgeons in making individualized decisions. In cases where guidelines offer no direct recommendations, or disagree, standardized care may need to be tempered by clinical judgment and individual patient considerations. Improved health care and better outcomes can be achieved for orthopedic surgery patients by considering VTE prophylaxis from the viewpoint of the clinical guidelines and patient-specific factors.