Venous Thrombosis

Venous thrombosis

        Venous thrombosis is the blood which is clotting in a deep vein of calf or the pelvis. It is the main cause of pulmonary embolism and it occurs because of condition that damage venous return, lead to dysfunction or can cause hypercoagulability.

       Venous thrombosis may cause pain and swelling in an extremity. You can diagnose it through physical examination and ultrasonography with the help of D-dinner or of other ways of testing. It's treatment is done with anticoagulants. It usually is located in the lower extremities or pelvis. But it can be also found in the deep veins of the upper extremities.

       Venous thrombosis in the lower extremity can more likely lead to pulmonary embolism. This may happen because of the higher clotting of blood. The most affected areas are the superficial femoral and the popliteal veins in the thighs and the posterior tibial veins in the calves. Studies are shown that 50% of the persons with thrombosis disease have hidden pulmonary embolism, and 30% with pulmonary embolism have venous thrombosis.

Venous thrombosis pictures

Venous thrombosis complications

       The most common complication of venous thrombosis are the venous insufficiency, postphlebitic syndrome and of course pulmonary embolism. Acute venous thrombosis may cause phlegmasia alba dolens and phlegmasia cerulea dolens. Both of these conditions must be immediately diagnosed and treated, for preventing the gangrene.

       Phlegmasia alba dolens is a rare complication of venous thrombosis, in time of pregnancy the leg may turn white. Phlegmasia cerulea dolens causes total venous obstruction, meaning that the leg is becoming ischemic and you will experience a huge pain and the leg also becomes cyanotic. Another complication is the infection. But this occurs rarely. The infection occurs at the internal jugular vein and at the surrounding tissues.

Venous thrombosis symptoms

       Some symptoms are very vague such as: vague aching pain, edema, erythema, and are the same at the arms and legs. The superficial veins may become visible and palbable. Sensitiveness and swelling of the entire leg. The fever may be present. This type of thrombosis may cause fever without an obvious illness. When pulmonary embolism is installed appear symptoms like hard breath and pain in the chest.

       The common causes of leg swelling in an asymmetrical way are cellulitis, soft tissue damage, lymphatic occlusion which obstructs venous return. The use of drugs is another cause of venous thrombosis. The drugs cause dependent edema, venous hypertension. Without an adequate treatment, thrombosis at lower extremity may lead to a fatal pulmonary embolism consequence.

       Venous thrombosis at the upper extremity has a rare fatal consequence.
The risks factors are: the older age, female sex, smoking, pregnancy, immobilization, overweight.
Cancer is a risk factor for this kind of thrombosis, which occurs particularly at older patients. The hidden cancer can be present at the persons with apparently idiophatic deep vein thrombosis.

Venous thrombosis prevention

       Immobility prevention, meaning that the patients who are suffering a minor operation, and those who must be inactive for long periods, are encouraged to walk or constantly move their legs. Another venous thrombosis prevention is the intermittent compression stockings. Vitamin E can prevent venous thrombosis.