Low dose heparin in the prevention of deep-vein thrombosis after aortic bifurcation graft surgery.

In a randomised double-blind controlled trial 24 patients undergoing elective aortic bifurcation graft surgery received subcutaneous calcium heparin (2,500 u pre-operatively then 5,000 u 12-hourly for 7 days) and 25 control patients received saline injections. All patients received a routine dose of intravenous sodium heparin intra-operatively. The trial was terminated because of excess bleeding complications in patients receiving subcutaneous heparin (8 vs. 1, p less than 0.05). Deep vein thrombosis occurred in 6 control patients and 2 patients on heparin (p less than 0.05). In this group of patients undergoing major vascular surgery the risk of bleeding due to heparin outweighed the potential benefit of thrombotic prophylaxis.

RCT Entities:   Population Interventions Outcomes