| Abstrakt: |
IN THE first seven months of 1949, thromboembolic disease developed postoperatively in nine patients in the surgical service of the Snyder-Jones Clinic, Winfield, Kan., and two of these nine patients died with pulmonary embolism. During the summer of 1949, we learned of the work later reported by Ochsner, DeBakey, and DeCamp, and by Kay and his co-workers1 on blood antithrombin levels and the use of alpha-tocopherol in raising the blood antithrombin levels. Beginning Aug. 1, 1949, an attempt was made to give alpha-tocopherol acetate, 200 mg. every eight hours to all patients undergoing major surgery. Medication was started prior to surgery whenever possible and continued throughout the postoperative period in the hospital. In addition, patients were given calcium gluconate, 10 cc. of a 10% solution intravenously, every 48 hours, starting sometime in 1950. Still later, alpha-tocopherol phosphate became available for intramuscular injection and was prescribed postoperatively in a dose |
