Prophylaxis for Venous Thromboembolism Following Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Survey of Korean Knee Surgeons

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to provide information on the actual status and prevailing trend of prophylaxis for venous thromboembolism (VTE) following total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in South Korea. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The Korean Knee Society (KKS) developed a questionnaire with 6 clinical questions on VTE. The questionnaire was distributed to all members of KKS by both postal and online mail. Participants were asked to supply details on their specialty and to select methods of prophylaxis they employ. Of the total members of KKS, 27.9% participated in the survey. RESULTS: The percentage of surgeons who routinely performed prophylaxis for VTE was 60.4%; 19.4% performed prophylaxis depending on the patient's health condition; and the remaining 20.2% never implemented prophylaxis after surgery. The common prophylactic methods among the responders were compression stocking (72.9%), pneumatic leg compression (63.3%), perioral direct factor Xa inhibitor (46.9%), and low-molecular-weight heparin (39.5%). For the respondents who did not perform prophylaxis, the main reason (51.5%) was the low risk of postoperative VTE considering the low incidences in Asians. CONCLUSIONS: The present study involving members of the KKS will help to comprehend the actual status of VTE prevention in South Korea. The results of this study may be useful to design VTE guidelines appropriate for Koreans in the future.