Effect of low-dose subcutaneous heparin on postoperative wound hematomas: randomized clinical trial on hospitalized inguinal hernia patients in Germany.

A randomized prospective study of low-dose heparin was performed in 89 surgical patients during and after Bassini-Lotheissen repair. The patients were divided into two groups: (1) Low-dose heparin: 5000 units 2 hours before operation and 5000 units every 8 hours for 5 days after the operation. (2) Dextran 40 (Rheomacrodex); administered during the operation, with an additional infusion of dextran (500 ml/day) for the next 3 days. The frequency of wound complications in 45 the heparin-treated patients was 22.0% (comprising 10 hematomas), compared to only 4.5% in the dextran-treated patients (n = 44 patients). These findings are significant (p < 0.05). Low-dose heparin should therefore be administered routinely only to patients with increased risk of thromboembolism.