There is still some controversy over the best practice for prevention of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) during laparoscopic surgery. This guideline is intended to assist surgeons in making decisions regarding DVT prophylaxis when performing laparoscopic procedures. Although there are examples of specific procedures, the basic philosophy is that the prophylactic therapy be tailored to the individual patient needs based on estimated risk of venous thromboembolic (VTE) disease. In this regard, there may be a specific procedure that has a variety of treatment strategies for varying clinical scenarios. Recommendations are based on the current medical evidence and have been graded according to the available evidence. Where data exist for only open surgical procedures, we will adapt these data, and note a lower evidence and/or recommendation rating.