Prevention of venous thromboembolism.

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a preventable cause of significant morbidity and mortality in hospitalized patients, especially in the perioperative period. After identifying the risk factors, it is possible to stratify patients into groups based on their degree of risk for developing VTE. Methods available for the prevention of VTE vary in degree of intensity, efficacy, and side effects. The type of preventive measure used for each patient is based on matching the degree of risk for VTE with the intensity of prophylaxis, keeping in mind the risk-benefit ratio. This article discusses VTE prophylaxis relevant to oral and maxillofacial surgery patients.