Preventing Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) with VPULSE
DVT and surgery go hand in hand. Without prevention, 50% of patients undergoing orthopedic surgeries would develop DVT.
Use the VPULSE to prevent DVT.
Patients
Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)
Deep vein thrombosis or DVT, is a blood clot that forms in a vein deep in the body. Blood clots occur when blood thickens and clumps together. Most deep vein blood clots occur in the lower leg or thigh. They also can occur in other parts of the body.
A blood clot in a deep vein can break off and travel through the bloodstream. The loose clot is called an embolus. It can travel to an artery in the lungs and block blood flow. This condition is called pulmonary embolism or PE. PE is a very serious condition. It can damage the lungs and other organs in the body and cause death.
Know Your Risk for DVT
There are many known risk factors that can increase your chances of developing Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) and/or a Pulmonary Embolism (PE). Keep in mind that they vary based on your age, race and gender. Common risk factors include:
- Obesity
- Smoking
- Diabetes
- Cancer
- Pregnancy
- Immobility
- Use of hormone therapy
- History of genetic clotting disorders
- Recent hospitalization for trauma
- Major surgery
The more risk factors you have, the greater your odds are for developing DVT and/or PE. A person with three or more of the risk factors above is considered at high risk and should be given preventive DVT treatment in one or more forms, following any surgery. Also, about one third of people who have previously suffered DVT will have a recurrence within 10 years, with the risk being greatest during the first two years.1,2,3,4
How does the VPULSE work to prevent a DVT?
Using the VPULSE mimics exercise. The intermittent sequential compression of the calf wraps simulates muscle contractions of the lower leg. This increases the velocity of blood flow through the veins to help pump blood back up to the heart. The rate of the contraction of the VPULSE is twice the normal, resting flow, which creates a “flush” effect.
Is the VPULSE available only by a doctor’s prescription?
The VPULSE is only available on the order of a licensed heathcare professional.
Is the VPULSE covered by my insurance?
In many cases, the VPULSE is covered by your insurance with a doctor’s prescription. However, we recommend checking with your insurance carrier for pre-authorization.
Where can my doctor get the VPULSE?
Your doctor can prescribe a VPULSE unit for you and place an order through us at Joints in Motion Medical. We are an exclusive distributor for this product and our staff will set you up and make sure you are properly trained in the use of the unit. You or your physician can reach us at (866) 546-4276.
Medical Professionals
Guide patients to a safer, more effective recovery.
In 2008, the U.S. Surgeon General released a Call to Action to inspire new prevention measures for deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE), collectively known as venous thromboembolism (VTE). Since then, many professional associations have released newly published or revised recommendations and hospitals have set up DVT/PE prevention protocols—including both pharmacological and mechanical prophylaxis. But the biggest hurdle facing these measures has been the lack of an economical device that would allow continued compliance at home following release from the hospital. The Cothera VPULSE changes all of that. It combines a rapid impulse-type Intermittent Sequential Compression system with cold therapy and dynamic wound compression—run independently or in any combination—in the first economically feasible device designed for single patient use.
Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)
Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) refers to the development of blood clots, or thrombi, within a deep vein. Typically it occurs in the thigh or calf and can develop after any major surgery. Symptoms may include pain, swelling and skin discoloration, or no signs at all. DVT risk is greatest between two and five days after surgery, with a second peak risk period occurring about 10 days after surgery—after the patient has been discharged. A consecutive pulmonary embolism, or PE, can occur when a clot breaks free and travels through the veins and lodges in the lungs. PE has been reported to occur in over one third of DVT patients and frequently causes sudden death.
Relevant Surgeries
There are over 23 million surgeries performed each year in the U.S. Without appropriate prevention, DVT is estimated to result in 20% of them. The vast majority of clinical literature related to DVT and PE prevention is devoted to studying orthopedic surgery involving the hip and knee, so it’s no surprise that an abundance of evidence-based guidelines now exist for these procedures. However, as awareness of the serious risks and costs associated with DVT and PE become more known, and as additional clinical publications shift their focus to different parts of the body, this concept of “major surgery” for which prevention is recommended should be broadened to include shoulder and elbow replacement and hip fracture surgery. Total ankle replacement should also be considered, along with partial knee and partial hip procedures.
Compliance Meets Convenience
Designed to provide continuous care from hospital or surgery center to self-treatment at home. The VPULSE makes complying with post-operative instructions convenient and easy.