Introduction: Thromboembolic events are a serious concern due to the high rates of mor bidity and mortality as well as the possibility of existing disease presenting with scarce and often nonspecific symptoms. Prevention is the most effective management method for this kind of event, which can quickly lead to death once it occurs. Methods: A retros pective study was conducted between May 2009 and May 2010 on patients undergoing plastic surgery at the Ivo Pitanguy Institute. All patients underwent the protocol for the prevention of venous thromboembolism after being assessed for risk factors. These factors were summed to generate a score, which determined the prophylaxis to be implemented. Results: During one year, 1351 patients were assessed. There was no in cidence of venous thromboembolism. There were 16 cases of hematoma, 9 (56.25%) of which occurred after heparin prophylaxis and 7 (43.75%) of which occurred without the use of prophylaxis. Conclusions: The protocol for the prevention of venous thromboembolism at the Ivo Pitanguy Institute was effective, with no occurrence of VTE cases and the incidence of hematomas remained below that found in the medical literature.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.