How long should anti embolism stockings be worn post operatively?
We are currently advising patients to wear them until they return to their normal mobility, but a spokesperson from the company which provides our hospital with them said they should be worn for at least 6 weeks post op. How empirical is this evidence? 12th July 1999 We have not yet found any published studies that compare the effectiveness of different periods of application of the stockings, although we are continuing to search. There is an extensive literature about the use of graduated compression stockings in the prevention of deep vein thrombosis after surgery, and in general the stockings are considered to be effective, particularly when used in combination with other preventive measures. However, even within a single study there is rarely consistency in the length of time the stockings are applied. This variation in use probably reflects differences between patients – some are fitter or regain mobility more quickly than others. Thus it may be unrealistic to propose a set time p
