A nurse on a medical-surgical unit is caring for four patients who are 24 to 36 hours postoperative. Which of the following surgical procedures places the patient at risk for deep-vein thrombosis?

Choice A reason: Cataract extraction is a minimally invasive eye surgery with low immobility risk. Deep-vein thrombosis (DVT) risk is minimal, as patients resume normal activity quickly, and the procedure does not involve major vascular or musculoskeletal trauma, unlike orthopedic surgeries that promote venous stasis. Choice B reason: Hip arthroplasty significantly increases DVT risk due to prolonged immobility, surgical trauma to pelvic veins, and inflammation, which align with Virchow’s triad (stasis, endothelial injury, hypercoagulability). Orthopedic surgeries disrupt venous flow, promoting clot formation, making this the highest-risk procedure among the options. Choice C reason: Laparoscopic appendectomy involves minimal immobility and less vascular trauma than orthopedic surgery. While any surgery carries some DVT risk, the short recovery time and minimal tissue disruption reduce venous stasis and clot formation compared to hip arthroplasty, making it less likely. Choice D reason: Myringotomy is a minor ear procedure with no significant immobility or vascular trauma. DVT risk is negligible, as patients are ambulatory soon after, and the procedure does not involve large veins or prolonged stasis, unlike major orthopedic surgeries like hip arthroplasty.