Preventing Venous Thromboembolism in the Ambulatory Surgical Setting

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is the third most common cardiovascular illness after acute coronary syndrome and stroke.1-3 Although the exact incidence of VTE is unknown, there are approximately one million cases in the United States each year, many of which are recurrent episodes.3 Nearly two-thirds of all VTE events result from hospitalization, and approximately 300,000 of these patients die.3 There are few statistics on VTE in the ambulatory setting; according to an American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons report, “Knee arthroscopy is the most commonly performed orthopaedic procedure in the United States.
Source: AORN Journal - Category: Nursing Authors: Tags: Column Source Type: research