Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)

Deep-vein thrombosis is the formation of a blood clot in a deep vein. It commonly affects the leg veins, such as the femoral vein or the popliteal vein or the deep veins of the pelvis. Occasionally the veins of the arm are affected. Thrombophlebitis is the more general class of pathologies of this kind.

There may be no symptoms referrable to the location of the DVT, but the classical symptoms of DVT include pain, swelling and redness of the leg and dilatation of the surface veins. In up to 25% of all hospitalized patients, there may be some form of DVT, which often remains clinically inapparent.

There are several techniques during physical examination to increase the detection of DVT, such as measuring the circumference of the affected and the contralateral limb at a fixed point, and palpating the venous tract, which is often tender. Physical examination is unreliable for excluding the diagnosis of deep vein thrombosis.

Early and regular walking is a treatment that predates anticoagulants and is still recognized and used today. Walking activates the body's muscle pumps, increasing venous velocity and preventing stasis. Intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC) machines have proven protective in bed- or chair-ridden patients at very high risk or with contraindications to heparins. IPC machines use air bladders that are wrapped around the thigh and/or calf. The bladders arternately inflate and deflate, squeezing the muscles and increasing blood velocity by as much as 500%. IPC machines have been proven effective on knee and hip surgery patients of developing DVT and PE. Alternatively, between 150-300mg of aspirin can be taken.

...More at Wikipedia 

Related Links:

• US National Library of Medicine
• Mayo Clinic

Recent Hope Cube Blog Entries For Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)