Prevention of venous thrombosis in patients with intracranial disease by intermittent pneumatic compression of the calf.

In a randomized study of 128 patients, we evaluated intermittent pneumatic compression of the calf in the prevention of leg scan-detected venous thrombosis in intracranial disease. Pneumatic compression of the calf for 5 days reduced the rate of venous thrombosis from 12 of 63 control patients (19.1 percent) to one of 65 patients (1.5 percent) given prophylaxis (p = 0.00082). In patients who had craniotomy for brain tumor, subarachnoid …