Journal of vascular surgery
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The value of surveillance venous duplex scanning for detecting unsuspected deep venous thrombosis (DVT) in trauma patients who are receiving enoxaparin prophylaxis is open to question. This study was undertaken to determine whether enoxaparin reduced the clinical utility of surveillance scanning and whether management of these patients was altered by findings of the scans. ⋯ After initial negative scan results, repeat surveillance duplex scanning during hospitalization detected a low incidence (2%) of DVT in high-risk patients. Furthermore, the detection of unsuspected DVT altered the clinical management of less than 1% of the patients tested. Thus, after a venous duplex scan with negative results and initiation of enoxaparin prophylaxis, subsequent surveillance duplex examinations are not warranted in asymptomatic trauma patients.