Meta-analysis finds education lowers DVT risk after orthopedic surgery

This meta-analysis study was conducted to evaluate the effect of education-based interventions on the development of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in patients undergoing orthopedic surgery. In this study, the terms "deep vein thrombosis," "orthopedic surgery," and "patient education" were searched in Turkish and English in the relevant literature published in the last 20 years in the Web of Science, PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases. A total of 8021 studies were found as a result of the search. Six studies that met the inclusion criteria were reviewed. In the meta-analysis, the Odds Ratio (OR) was calculated as the effect size, and Cochran's Q test and I² statistic were used for heterogeneity analysis. Publication bias was assessed using funnel plots and Egger regression tests. The meta-analysis found that the risk of developing DVT was significantly lower in groups that received educational interventions compared to control groups (OR ≈ 0.50, 95% CI: 0.37-0.69, p <0.001). Educational interventions have been effective through mechanisms such as encouraging early mobilization, increasing compliance with anticoagulant medication use, and raising awareness about DVT symptoms (p <0.05). In orthopedic surgery patients, education-based interventions applied in conjunction with pharmacological and mechanical methods are effective in preventing DVT. Systematic integration of patient education programs into clinical practice will contribute significantly to improving patient safety and reducing postoperative complications. Future studies should focus on the integration of digital health technologies and the evaluation of long-term effects. The study has been registered with PROSPERO (CRD420251047966).