Reduced risk of venous thromboembolism with the use of intermittent pneumatic compression after craniotomy: a randomized controlled prospective study.

Objective: The term "venous thromboembolism" (VTE) subsumes deep venous thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism. The incidence of DVT after craniotomy was reported to be as high as 50%. Even clinically silent DVT may lead to potentially fatal pulmonary embolism.

D-dimer plasma level: a reliable marker for venous thromboembolism after elective craniotomy.

Object: The incidence of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) after craniotomy is reported to be as high as 50%. In outpatients, D-dimer levels of more than 0.5 mg/L indicate venous thromboembolism (VTE, which subsumes DVT and pulmonary embolism [PE]) with a sensitivity of 99.