Prophylactic anticoagulation in total hip replacement.

In the prevention of thromboembolic complications following elective total hip operations, warfarin is a safe and effective agent which causes minimal bleeding complications, if the drug is first administered on the first postoperative day and thereafter continued in various dosages to maintain a prothrombin time between one and one and one-half and two times that of the control. Dextran also is effective in preventing thromboembolic complications but causes more bleeding problems, especially when administered intraoperatively.