The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Vol 71, Issue 2 249-256, Copyright © 1989 by Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Inc
Compression ultrasonography for the detection of deep venous thrombosis in patients who have a fracture of the hip. A prospective study
JA Froehlich, GS Dorfman, JJ Cronan, PJ Urbanek, JH Herndon and RK Aaron
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Brown University/Rhode Island Hospital, Providence 02903.
The effectiveness of compression ultrasonography in the detection of
femoral and popliteal venous thrombosis was determined in a prospective
trial over a period of seven months. Forty-two patients who had an isolated
intertrochanteric or femoral neck fracture participated, and forty of these
patients completed the study. The average age of the patients was 81.6
years. Venography was the standard with which all ultrasonic studies were
compared. A total of 112 ultrasonic studies were performed. The incidence
of major venous thrombosis, as detected by venography, was 12.5 per cent.
All patients were clinically asymptomatic. The compression ultrasonic
technique had an accuracy of 97 per cent, a sensitivity of 100 per cent,
and a specificity of 97 per cent. Compression ultrasonography appears to be
a very effective technique for diagnosing venous thrombosis in patients who
have a fracture of the hip. It is safe, well accepted by both patients and
staff, and simply and quickly performed, and it carries no inherent risks.
It also can be readily repeated, making it ideal for monitoring high-risk
patients.
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