The risk of deep vein thrombosis -- a sometimes deadly blood clot that can form in a deep vein after general surgery -- is low when preventive measures such as anti-clotting drugs are used, researchers say. The investigators also found that most cases of deep vein thrombosis, or DVT, that occur after general surgery are associated with catheter use. In the new study, published in the Aug. 15 online edition of the journal Archives of Surgery, researchers reviewed the medical records of 2,189 patients across the United States who had general surgery in 2008 and 2009, including surgeries of the pancreas, esophagus, colon and rectum, intestines and stomach.
