The Caprini risk assessment model (RAM) has been validated in over 250 000 patients in more than 100 clinical trials worldwide. Ultimately, appropriate treatment options are dependent on precise completion of the Caprini RAM. As the numerical score increases, the clinical venous thromboembolism rate rises exponentially in every patient group where it has been properly tested. The 2013 Caprini RAM was completed by specially trained medical students via review of the presurgical assessment history, medical clearances, and medical consults. The Caprini RAM was completed for every participant both preoperatively and predischarge to ensure that any changes in the patient's postoperative course were captured by the tool. This process led to the development of completion guidelines to ensure consistency and accuracy of scoring. The 2013 Caprini scoring system provides a consistent, thorough, and efficacious method for risk stratification and selection of prophylaxis for the prevention of venous thrombosis.

Appropriate chemoprophylaxis choice following arthroplasty requires accurate patient risk assessment. We compared the results of our prospective department protocol to the Caprini risk assessment model (RAM) retrospectively in this study group. Our goal was to determine whether the department protocol or the Caprini score would identify venous thromboembolism (VTE) events after total joint replacement. A secondary purpose was to validate the 2013 Caprini RAM in joint arthroplasty and determine whether patients with VTE would be accurately identified using the Caprini score. A total of 1078 patients met inclusion criteria. A Caprini score of 10 or greater is considered high risk and a score of 9 or less is considered low risk. The 2013 version of the Caprini RAM retrospectively stratified 7 of the 8 VTE events correctly, while only 1 VTE was identified with the prospective department protocol. This tool provided a consistent, accurate, and efficacious method for risk stratification and selection of chemoprophylaxis.

Total joint arthroplasty is a rapid recovery procedure with patients optimized quickly in preparation for discharge. Two significant postoperative goals are effective pain management and prevention of postoperative venous thromboembolism (VTE). Low-risk patients receive aspirin 81 mg twice daily for VTE prophylaxis; this dosing regimen has been reduced over the past few years from 325 mg to 162 mg to 81 mg twice daily. Unless contraindications exist, all patients receive multimodal pain management that includes the use of celecoxib or meloxicam. Upon reduction of the aspirin dose to 81 mg twice daily, we rapidly identified 2 patients who developed a pulmonary embolus when celecoxib or meloxicam was administered concurrently with aspirin. The interaction between nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and low-dose aspirin varies among the different NSAIDs. It is also highly dependent on numerous factors, including time of administration, dose of aspirin, and both pharmacodynamics and dose of the NSAID. Real-world outcomes of concomitant administration of NSAIDs with low-dose aspirin led to increased incidence of VTE, possibly due to competitive inhibition of aspirin at platelet receptor sites. This interaction was mitigated by altering the administration times of both agents.

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a serious and predictable complication following arthroplasty. It has been recognized that a strategy utilizing individualized anticoagulation choices based on patient risk stratification results in improved patient outcomes. A 2013 version of the Caprini Risk Score has previously been validated for use in total joint arthroplasty. A Caprini score of 10 or greater assesses the patient as “high risk” while 9 or less is considered “low risk.” Patients scored as “low risk” for postoperative VTE receive enteric coated aspirin 81 mg twice a day for 6 weeks. Patients scored as “high risk” for VTE are prescribed apixaban. This retrospective cohort study was conducted to assess the safety and efficacy of the thromboprophylaxis treatment prescribed based on a standardized risk assessment protocol for the calendar year 2020. Patients having total hip arthroplasty, total knee arthroplasty, revision total hip arthroplasty, revision total knee arthroplasty, or bilateral arthroplasties by 13 surgeons (N = 873) were reviewed. Patients were risk assessed using the Caprini Risk Score and thromboprophylaxis was prescribed based on the score obtained. The annual rate of VTE was 0.2%. The Caprini Risk Score is an effective approach to individualize thromboprophylaxis choices after total joint arthroplasty.