Christopher Pittman: How Pre-Op Vein Treatment Can Lower VTE Risk in Orthopedic Surgery
Haroun Gajraj, Phlebologist and Board Member of the British Association of Sclerotherapists, reposted Christopher Pittman’s post on LinkedIn:
“This adds to previous studies confirming that Superficial Venous Disease is a risk factor for DVT and PE that can be MODIFIED…
Thank you Christopher Pittman for bringing this to our attention and for your analysis of the impact of this new research.”
Quoting Christopher Pittman’s post:
“Postoperative VTE Risk and the Overlooked Role of Venous Insufficiency: Orthopedic + Vein crossover alert
Recent matched cohort analysis in the Journal of Orthopaedics, 2025 using the PearlDiver database (n > 23,000 TKA patients) showed:
- Significant reduction in VTE events in patients who had preoperative treatment of varicose veins
- Patients with untreated lower extremity venous insufficiency had notably higher rates of DVT/PE post–total knee arthroplasty
- Adjusted analysis confirmed lower odds of thromboembolic events when venous disease was managed prior to surgery
Clinical implication:
Venous insufficiency isn’t just cosmetic—it may be a modifiable surgical risk factor. Pre-op screening and referral to a vein specialist could reduce morbidity in high-risk orthopedic patients.
If you’re operating on knees, hips, or ankles—especially in patients >50 with visible varicosities or edema—it may be time to rethink your VTE prevention strategy.
Let’s bridge the gap between phlebology and orthopedics. The data is compelling.”
Title: Does Surgical Treatment of Varicose Veins Prior to Total Knee Arthroplasty Decrease Rates of Postoperative Venous Thromboembolism? A Matched Cohort Study
Authors: Mary Jane McConnell, Bailey J. Ross, Jordan Murphy, George N. Guild Ⅲ, Brandon H. Naylor, Thomas L. Bradbury
Read the full article here.
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