Is DVT a Good Proxy for Pulmonary Embolus?

Total joint arthroplasty (TJA) is considered to be a high-risk procedure for venous thromboembolism (VTE). Anticoagulation is administered to minimize the incidence of VTE. American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP) guidelines are based on the assumption that reduction in the incidence of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) directly results in a reduction of pulmonary embolism (PE). There is little evidence to support the premise that DVT is a good proxy for PE. The objective of this study is to examine the correlation between DVT and PE in a consecutive group of patients undergoing TJA.