Thrombosis and free fatty acids in patients subjected to total hip arthroplasty.

The plasma concentrations of free fatty acids were estimated at intervals before, during and after total hip arthroplasty in seven patients. Each patient underwent examination for deep vein thrombosis with iodine-125 leg scanning, impedance plethysmography and contrast venography. Substantially higher concentrations of free fatty acids were found in the plasma of patients shown to have thrombosis than in those without thrombosis.