Treatment of Deep Venous Thrombosis

Causes of DVT

Having a family history of blood clots or blood that coagulates easily can lead to DVT. Smoking, obesity, and high blood pressure can also cause DVT. People at risk for DVT include pregnant women, women taking oral contraceptives and patients who have injured their veins as a result of trauma, athletic injury or surgery. Sedentary behavior such as prolonged bedrest or sitting on an airplane or in a car for several hours without walking or stretching is a leading cause of DVT.

Symptoms of DVT

Leg pain, swelling, skin discoloration and redness are all symptoms of DVT. Blood clots which are left untreated can stay in the veins for many years, blocking the main vein which drains the leg. This can lead to long term leg pain and swelling. Should the swelling progress, venous stasis ulcerations can develop in the skin. If DVT is not treated, a piece of clot can break loose and travel to the lungs. This condition is called a pulmonary embolism and can cause chest pain, shortness of breath, and even death. Blood thinners such as heparin, lovenox, and Coumadin can help prevent a pulmonary embolism from occurring.

Red swollen leg in a patient with acute DVT	Early venous stasis skin breakdown in a patient with longstanding DVT
Severe venous stasis ulcer in a patient with longstanding DVT

Cutting Edge Technology To Treat DVT

At VIP, we use mechanical thrombectomy catheters in conjunction with powerful clot busting drugs to break apart and remove DVT in a safe and minimally invasive manner. The procedure can be performed on an outpatient basis and is more efficacious compared to blood thinning medication alone. Patients who have undergone this procedure, called DVT thrombolysis, are more likely to have complete resolution of their pain and swelling and return to their previous level of activity.

The Angiojet thrombolysis catheter

The Trellis thrombolysis catheter

Before and After

The two images on the left show x-ray dye being injected into a clotted vein. The two images on the right show the same vein, after the DVT thrombolysis procedure.