Abstract:

BACKGROUND: The incidence of lower extremity deep venous thrombosis is high after artificial joint replacement and mainly caused by intimal damage, slow blood flow velocity and blood hypercoagulable state.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the preventive and therapeutic effects of Chinese medicine on the lower extremity deep venous thrombosis after artificial joint replacement.
METHODS: A computer-based online search was performed for the articles from January 1989 to October 2011 with the key words of “Chinese medicine, lower extremity deep venous thrombosis, prevention and treatment, artificial joint replacement”. The articles that related with the Chinese medicine for the treatment of lower extremity deep venous thrombosis after artificial joint replacement were included; the repeat studies or Meta-analysis articles were excluded. A total of 26 articles were included to review.  RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: For the treatment of lower extremity deep venous thrombosis, the main treatment methods include functional exercise, the pressure gradient therapy, and the thrombolytic and anticoagulant therapy. In recent years, the Chinese medicine shows a good effect in the treatment of lower extremity deep venous thrombosis and the main Chinese medicine include salvia miltiorrhiza, ligustrazine and astragalus mongholicus. Some Chinese herbal compound with the effect of promoting blood circulation also has a role in the prevention of lower extremity deep venous thrombosis. It demonstrates that Chinese medicine shows a good effect both on the prevention and treatment of lower extremity deep venous thrombosis with less adverse reaction. Chinese and Western medicine combined with functional exercise is an effective means for the prevention and treatment of lower extremity deep venous thrombosis.