Postoperative venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a significant health-care problem, resulting in significant morbidity, mortality and resource utilization. The true incidence is unknown, and may range from 1% to 15%. The latest American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP) guidelines on VTE prevention clearly outlines the perioperative thromboprophylaxis regiments for specific surgical populations. Specifically for patients undergoing orthopaedic procedures, such as total hip replacement, there is strong Grade 1A evidence for the use of extended thromboprophylaxis. For other surgical subgroups such as vascular and thoracic surgery, the evidence is less clear.