摘要:SURGICAL PATIENTS HAVE AN INCREASED RISK FOR VENOUS THROMBOEMBOLISM, THE MOSTCOMMON PREVENTABLE CAUSE OF DEATH IN THIS CATEGORY OF PATIENTS. THROMBOPROPHYLAXISWITH MECHANICAL METHODS, SUCH AS INTERMITENT PNEUMATIC LEG COMPRESSION ANDGRADUATED COMPRESSION STOCKS, AND ANTICOAGULANT AGENTS, SUCH AS UNFRACTIONEDHEPARIN AND LOW MOLECULAR WEIGHT HEPARIN ARE COMMONLY USED TO PREVENTTHROMBOSIS,THUS REDUCING MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY IN THESE PATIENTS.