The week-old hip fracture: indication for prophylactic use of a vena cava filter? Report of two cases.

Occasional patients will present a week or more after sustaining a hip fracture. Though these patients are at high risk for asymptomatic deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, anticoagulation may be contraindicated prior to surgery. Two recent cases involving such a situation are reported. In the first, the patient sustained a fatal intraoperative pulmonary embolism. In the second, a transvenous Greenfield vena caval filter was placed prior to surgery. An extremely high suspicion of asymptomatic deep venous thrombosis is necessary when evaluating a patient whose hip fracture has been untreated for a week or more. If studies demonstrate a deep venous thrombosis preoperatively, placement of an inferior vena caval filter may be indicated.