Objective: To determine whether homoeopathic Arnica can reduce postoperative haematomas in venous surgery. Design: Randomized, prospective, multicentric, double-blind placebo-controlled trial. Participants: 130 consecutive patients undergoing saphenous stripping (204 legs), hospitalized in a clinic. Interventions: A homoeopathic medicine (Arnica CH5) and an indistinguishable placebo, administered sublingually by a nurse the night before and immediately after the operation. Outcome Measures: Clinical evaluation of haematomas 6 days postoperatively. Results: Groups were well matched (sex, age, history of bleeding or thrombosis, drug intake, previous intake of homoeopathic drugs, type of operation and anaethesia, operator). One drop-out has been replaced. No statistically significant difference in postoperative haematomas was found between the Arnica and placebo groups (p = 0.342). Subanalysis of all other items did not reveal any statistical difference either. Conclusions: In this study, with this dosage, we did not observe any preventive effect of homoeopathic Arnica CH5 on poststripping haematomas.

Keywords:
Arnica, Haematomas, Homoeopathy, Venous surgery
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© 2000 S. Karger AG, Basel
2000
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