Deep Vein Thrombosis

What is Deep Vein Thrombosis?

PatientsDeep vein thrombosis (DVT) is the formation of a blood clot in a deep leg vein. It is a very serious condition that can cause death or permanent damage to the leg.

Common symptoms include:

  • Swelling of the leg
  • Calf or leg pain or tenderness
  • Leg fatigue
  • Discoloration of legs
  • Surface veins become more visible

If you suspect that you may have DVT, you should immediately go to a hospital emergency room to be evaluated by a physician

Interventional radiologists can not only diagnose the blood clot through an ultrasound exam but also, for those with extensive clots, can often eliminate the clot and treat underlying problems in the veins that may have caused the clot to form.

Some of the specific techniques and treatments used by FRC’s interventional radiologists include:

  • Catheter-Directed Thrombolysis – is a procedure performed under image guidance where a catheter is inserted into a leg vein behind the knee and is threaded into the vein containing the clot. A clot-dissolving drug is infused through the catheter directly into the clot. This process is repeated over one to two days. The fresher the clot, the faster it dissolves. A venogram confirms whether the clot has dissolved and detects any narrowing in the vein that might lead to future clot formation. If the vein has narrowed, the interventional radiologist can treat it using balloon angioplasty or by placing a stent to hold the vein open.
  • Vena Cava Filter – a small filtering device that can be inserted under image guidance into the large vein that drains the legs. The device captures blood clots that break off and can cause severe complications such as pulmonary embolism.

Learn more about our interventional radiologists

Other Vascular Services / Conditions

For more information on these as well as other interventional radiology procedures, please visit www.sirweb.org/patients/

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