Deep Venous Thrombosis Treatment

What is it?

Deep venous thrombosis (DVT) is the formation of a blood clot in a vein deep inside the legs or another part of the body. Most often they affect veins in the lower leg and thigh, and may affect deep veins of the pelvis. The clot can block blood flow. A clot that breaks off and moves through the bloodstream to the lungs can pose serious health risks.

Medical conditions that may cause deep vein thrombosis include immobility, vein compression, infections, physical trauma, and conditions that lead to thickening of the blood such as certain inflammatory diseases and cancer. While some patients with deep vein thrombosis have no symptoms, others may experience pain, swelling or redness of the legs, or dilation of surface veins.

A small blood clot can be treated with an anti-clotting drug like warfarin, but a larger DVT may need to be removed to prevent complications. Extensive DVTs that are less than a month old can be removed using catheters (thin tube) and wires. If a patient is high risk and cannot take an anticlotting drug, a filter may be placed in the body's largest vein to prevent blood clots from traveling to the lungs.

The Loyola difference

Loyola is a nationally recognized leader in cardiac care. U.S. News & World Report ranked us 18th in the nation for cardiology and heart surgery in 2012, making this our 10th year in the top 50.

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