Interruption of long-term warfarin is not necessary in patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty.

Introduction: The management of anticoagulation in patients undergoing arthroplasty remains a challenge. Guidelines for perioperative management of long-term warfarin recommend discontinuation of warfarin preoperatively in low risk patients. We hypothesised that patients who had their warfarin continued during the perioperative period would have shorter hospital stay and no significant increase risk of surgical complications compared to patients who had their warfarin interrupted.