Low incidence of asymptomatic deep venous thrombosis following caesarean section: a colour Doppler study
Kalro, B.N.; Davidson, R.A.; Owen, P.
Health Bulletin 57(6): 418-421
1999
ISSN/ISBN: 0374-8014 PMID: 12811875 Document Number: 511737
To determine the incidence of puerperal asymptomatic deep venous thrombosis (DVT) amongst women undergoing Caesarean section. Prospective observational study. Ninewells Hospital, Dundee. One hundred and twenty-nine women delivered by Caesarean section underwent lower limb colour Doppler imaging (CDI) between days two and five postpartum. No cases of DVT were detected using CDI. During the study, there was one case of confirmed pulmonary embolism in the early puerperium with no evidence of persisting thrombosis. The incidence of asymptomatic DVT post-Caesarean section is very low and appears to be lower than that previously described using nonultrasound methods of detection. This information should be useful for those wishing to design guidelines of thromboprophylaxis for this population.