Wilson NV, Das SK, Kakkar VV, Maurice HD, Smibert JG, Thomas EM, Nixon JE.
Thrombo-embolic prophylaxis in total knee replacement. Evaluation of the A-V
Impulse System.
J Bone Joint Surg Br 1992 Jan;74(1):50-2

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, King's College Hospital, London, England.

We performed a prospective randomised controlled trial of a new mechanical method
of prophylaxis for venous thrombo-embolism in 60 patients undergoing knee
replacement surgery. The method uses the A-V Impulse System to produce cyclical
compression of the venous reservoir of the foot. The overall incidence of deep-vein
thrombosis was 68.7% in patients receiving no prophylaxis and 50% in those using
the device. The difference was not significant. There was, however, a reduction
of the extent of thrombosis in the treated group. There were 13 major calf-vein
thrombi and six proximal-vein thrombi in the control group compared with only
five major calf-vein thrombi in the treated group. This difference was
significant (p = 0.014). No patient developed clinical features of a pulmonary
embolism.