[Guidelines about venous thromboembolism].

Prevention of venous thromboembolism relies on compliance to guidelines. Different guidelines and recommendations regarding medical and surgical situations are available from international and national sources. New strategies for venous thromboembolism prevention have been recently developed. Thus, guidelines must be constantly revisited in this field. Guidelines for prevention of venous thromboembolism in surgery, issued by the French Society of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care in 2005 are still valid. New recommendations for hip and knee arthroplasty regarding the indication for new oral anticoagulants have been issued. In bariatric surgery, prevention strategies have been clarified. In plastic and aesthestic surgery, new guidelines are now available. More precise recommendations and suggestions have been proposed for fragile patients (elderly, low body weight, altered renal function) who are at higher risk for haemorrhagic and also thrombotic events after surgery.