Kishi Y, Funjii N, Hiuge Y, Sonoda S, Asakura Y, Kagawa K, Kambara N, Tanigami H.

Masui. 2010 Jul;59(7):926-9

Abstract
BACKGROUND: Our previous reports showed that elastic stockings (ES) combined with intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC) significantly decrease the incidence of perioperative pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE). This study was conducted to investigate whether ES with IPC is useful to prevent PTE in cancer patients.
METHODS: No prophylactic strategies were employed from January 1998 to December 1999 (4511 cases). ES combined with ICP apparatuses was employed from May 2000 to April 2008 (20,383 cases). Details of the methods were described in our previous reports.
RESULTS: Age, anesthesia duration and operation duration increased statistically without clinical significances after the induction of prophylactic strategies. About 90 per cent of surgical patients had malignant disease. Seven patients developed PTE without any interventions and 5 patients with treatments. The incidence of PTE decreased significantly from 15.51 persons/10,000 cases to 2.45 persons/10,000 cases. Cardiac arrest occurred in two untreated patients but in no treated patient. Intervention also significantly decreased the incidence of cardiac arrest.
CONCLUSIONS: The combination of ES and ICP seems to be useful to decrease the incidence and severity of perioperative PTE in cancer patients in Japan.