Venous Thromboembolism Following Hip and Knee Arthroplasty

➤ Orthopaedic surgeons focus on the safety as much as on the efficacy of venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylactic agents. ➤ The latest guidelines from the American College of Chest Physicians directly endorse, and those from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons indirectly endorse, aspirin as an effective agent for VTE prophylaxis. ➤ There are sufficient published data that demonstrate the efficacy of aspirin in the prevention of VTE following total joint arthroplasty. ➤ Aspirin is inexpensive, easy to administer, and reasonably well tolerated; requires no blood monitoring; has an excellent safety profile; and continues to increase in popularity for VTE prevention after total joint arthroplasty.