Blood Clotting Drug Could Make Joint Surgery Safer

The dean of the University of Oklahoma College of Public Health was part of an international team of scientists who developed and tested a new drug to prevent blood clots forming after joint replacement surgery, while reducing risk of excessive bleeding.

The drug is still undergoing trials but could benefit the millions of baby boomers expected to have hip or knee replacement surgeries in coming years who are at risk of blood clots, also known as deep-vein thrombosis, said Gary Raskob, the dean and a lead researcher on the project funded by drugmaker Bristol-Myers Squibb.

Apixaban is an oral medication and more convenient than injectable blood thinners, Raskob said at a news conference Thursday. It was as effective at preventing clots as current medication but reduced the risk of bleeding by half. Research was published this week in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Blood clots can form in the large veins of the lower leg and thigh after joint replacement surgery. If the clot breaks free and moves through the bloodstream to the lungs it can cause an often-fatal condition called pulmonary embolism.

More than 100,000 Americans die each year from pulmonary embolism, which also can be caused by pregnancy, obesity and major injuries to the leg.

Raskob said about 700,000 knee and hip replacements are performed each year in the United States, but that number is expected to grow to more than 3.5 million by 2030.

Blood clots are a big concern during orthopedic surgery, said OU surgeon Dr. John Tompkins.

However, current blood-thinning drugs can lead to excessive bleeding in case of injury or medical problems such as ulcers.