Aspirin-Persantin Prophylaxis in Elective total hip Replacement
A prospective, double-blind clinical study was performed to evaluate the combination of dipyridamole(Persantin)225 mg/day and acetyl salicyclic acid (ASA) 1 g/day prophylaxis of post-operative venous thromboembolism in elective total hip replacement. Patients were stratified according to age, and randomly assigned to receive drug or placebo. All patients were followed with 125I-labelledfibrinogen scanning for one week post-operatively, or until fully mobile. Venography was performed in 67/129 patients; in 27 patients the venogram was obtained to confirm a positive fibrinogen scan, in 40 patients an elective venogram was obtained on the 7th post-operative day to evaluate the operated thigh (a blind area for scanning). Thrombosis (by scan or venogram) was found in 16/66(24%) in the control group, and in 21/63(33%) in the treated group. Overall incidence was 37/129 (29%). Correlation of scan with venography was 90%. There were no clinically significant pulmonary emboli in either group. We conclude that the combination of ASA and dipridamole as given in this study is not effective prophylaxis in elective total hip replacement.