Intermittent Pneumatic Compression in Addition to Standard Prophylaxis of Postoperative Venous Thromboembolism in Extremely High-risk Patients (IPC SUPER): A Randomized Controlled Trial

Objective: To assess the efficacy of adjunctive IPC to standard prophylaxis of postoperative VTE in patients at extremely high-risk. Summary of Background Data: The standard prophylaxis for postoperative VTE is insufficient in extremely high-risk patients. It is unclear whether an adjunctive use of IPC would result in a lower incidence of postoperative venous thrombosis. Methods: We randomly assigned patients who underwent major surgery and had a Caprini score of ≥11 to receive either IPC in addition to standard prophylaxis with anti-embolic stockings (pressure of 18–21 mm Hg at the ankle) and low-molecular-weight heparin (IPC group) or standard prophylaxis alone (control group). The primary outcome was an asymptomatic venous thrombosis of the lower limbs, as detected by duplex ultrasound scan performed before inclusion and every 3–5 days after surgery. Results: A total of 407 patients underwent randomization, of which 204 were assigned to the IPC group and 203 to the control group. The primary outcome occurred in 1 (0.5%) patient in the IPC group and 34 (16.7%) patients in the control group [relative risk, 0.03, 95% confidential interval (CI): 0.01–0.21]. Pulmonary embolism occurred in none of the 204 patients in the IPC group and in 5 (2.5%) patients in the control group (relative risk, 0.09; 95% CI, 0.01–1.63), and postoperative death occurred in 6 (2.9%) patients in the IPC group and 10 (4.9%) in the control group (relative risk, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.50–1.60). Conclusions: Among patients with a Caprini score of ≥11 who received standard prophylaxis for VTE, adjunctive IPC resulted in a significantly lower incidence of asymptomatic venous thrombosis.