prophylactic heparin
Last reviewed 01/2018
Prophylaxis before surgery is as follows:
- low risk - use thromboembolism (TED) stockings etc.
- moderate risk eg. major surgery, lower limb surgery, a patient on the oral contraceptive pill - use low dose heparin, with no need for APTT estimations
- high risk:
- e.g. orthopaedic surgery, gynaecological surgery
- consider the use of higher doses of heparin with APTT measurement
- subcutaneous, low molecular weight heparin appears to have advantages over standard heparin in the prevention of thrombosis after orthopaedic surgery