Low dose subcutaneous heparin and wound hematoma formation in inguinal hernia operations--a double-blind randomized clinical trial.

Postoperative wound bleeding and wound hematoma formation were studied in a prospective double-blind randomized clinical trial in selected patients undergoing surgery for inguinal hernia. With careful surgical technique, prophylactic administration of low dose subcutaneous heparin did not result in a significant increase in wound hematoma formation or wound bleeding. The postoperative decrease in the hemoglobin concentration, resulting from operative and postoperative blood loss, was -0.59 mmol/l, +/- 0.54 SD, in the control group and -0.60 mmol/l, +/- 0.57 SD, in the heparin group.