TED stockings in surgical patients: How effective are TED stockings compared to not using TED stockings in preventing DVT?

When blood flow is reduced to the limbs and blood becomes static there is no oxygenation to the venous valves and therefore the endothelium in the veins becomes hypoxic. The hypoxic tissue then attracts cells that start the clotting cascade to form a clot in the blood vessel. Typically this affects the lower limbs by clots forming in the iliac and femoral veins, however it can also occur in the arms. If left untreated the clot can cause ischemia and necrosis to the tissue distal to it, as well as becoming a dislodged embolism that travels through the bloodstream. The two biggest risk factors for developing a DVT include: 1) laying or sitting still for long periods of time and 2) inappropriate clotting disorders due to illness or medications (Lewis, Dirkson, Heitkemper, Bucher & Camera, 2014). Graduated compression stockings or TED stockings: TED stockings are thought to promote venous return by applying graduated compression from the feet upwards. This lessens the chance of a DVT being able to form (Lewis et al., 2014.) Why it is important: TED stockings help to reduce the risk of forming a DVT, especially in the hospital setting where patients stay still for long periods of time (Covidien, n.d.)
Conclusion: to answer our research question of how TED or graduated compression stockings can reduce the risk of DVT in surgical patients we must look at the research that has shown the difference of wearing the stockings compared to not wearing them. The studies show that patients who use TED stockings, prophylactically, are up to 57% less likely to develop a DVT post-surgery. The stockings are thought to reduce the instances of developing a DVT by applying gradual pressure increasing from the feet upwards. The consequences of a DVT can be dire so it is important to use TED stockings post-surgery on all patients that meet the parameters of use. It is important to also note that TEDs should be used in conjunction with other prophylactic measures and not to be applied if there is any sign of a DVT already present.