The relationship of platelet coagulant activities to venous thrombosis following hip surgery.

Platelets have recently been shown to trigger intrinsic coagulation by two alternative pathways, protect active clotting factors from inactivation by plasma inhibitors and catalyse intrinsic coagulation reactions on the platelet surface to form fibrin. To determine whether these platelet coagulant activities (PCA) might have a role in the pathogenesis of DVT, 29 patients have been studied before and after arthroplasty or other surgery for fractured hip or degenerative hip disease. The occurrence of DVT was detected by [125I]fibrinogen uptake in the legs and confirmed by venography.