Clinical study of neuromuscular electrical stimulator for prevention of intraoperative lower extremity deep vein thrombosis in patients undergoing lithotomy position surgery

Objectives: To investigate the efficacy and safety of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) for preventing lower-extremity deep venous thrombosis (DVT) during lithotomy position surgery. Methods: Seventy-six patients receiving lithotomy position surgery were randomized equally into control and experimental groups (n = 38 each). The control group received standard intraoperative thromboprophylaxis; the experimental group added intraoperative NMES on the basis of standard prophylaxis. We compared perioperative plasma D-dimer, popliteal vein diameter and blood flow velocity, 24-h postoperative DVT incidence after fascial closure, and NMES-related adverse events between groups. Results: The incidence of deep vein thrombosis in the lower extremities 24 hours after fascial closure was lower in the experimental group than in the control group (χ 2 = 4.145, p = .042); Following surgery, the popliteal vein blood flow velocity in both lower limbs of the experimental group was significantly faster than that of the control group ( p < 0.05), while there was no significant difference in the diameter of the popliteal veins between the two groups; there was no statistically significant difference in plasma D-dimer levels between the two groups ( p > .05), and no adverse events related to the use of the neuromuscular stimulator occurred in the experimental group. Conclusions: The use of a neuromuscular electrical stimulator during surgery in patients undergoing lithotomy position procedures can accelerate the venous flow rate of lower limb veins, alleviate venous stasis in the lower limbs caused by the placement of lithotomy positions, and help to prevent the occurrence of DVT.