A Clearinghouse for Information about Blood Clots (DVT/)PE) and Clotting Disorders (thrombophilia) provided as a public service by the University of North Carolina Blood Research Center

Category: Clots in unusual locations

  • Thrombophilia – Information Handout for Patients

    Stephan Moll, MD writes… An information article on various aspects of thrombophilia, written for patients and family members, was published today – available here – as a Vascular Disease Patient Information Page in the journal Vascular Medicine.  It addresses (a) in which patient with venous thromboembolism to consider thrombophilia  testing, (b) what tests might be appropriate to do, (c) how the test results…

  • Catheter-Associated DVT of Arm and Neck in Cancer Patients: ISTH Guidance

    Stephan Moll, MD writes… This week (Feb 18th, 2014) a guidance document on the prevention and management of catheter-associated upper extremity (brachial, axillary, subclavian, and brachiocephalic veins) and neck (internal jugular) DVT was published by the International Society for Thrombosis and Haemostasis (ISTH) [ref 1].  The authors acknowledge that optimal long-term management of catheter-associated DVT has…

  • TTP with I.V. Use of Pain Medication OpanaER

    Stephan Moll, MD writes…  The CDC published an alert on Oct 26th, 2012, that they are investigating 12 cases of TTP (thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura) in drug users who injected intravenously the opioid pain medication Opana ER® (oxymorphone extended-release), a medication made as a tablet and meant for oral use. The tablet was pulverized by the drug…

  • Ischemic Colitis and Thrombophilia

    Stephan Moll, MD writes…  Ischemic colitis is an uncommon and typically benign disorder.  For mostly unclear reasons, multiple small vessels in the colonic wall have decreased perfusion or become occluded, resulting in patchy, superficially ulcerated areas.  Typically, no surgical intervention is needed and the patient recovers spontaneously within 1-2 weeks.  Often patients have only one episode. Few…

  • Incidentally Discovered DVT, PE or Other Clots

    General comments CT or MRI scans will occasionally detect an incidental iliofemoral DVT, PE or intra-abdominal thrombosis (IVC, portal, splenic, mesenteric or renal vein). This is particularly common in cancer patients undergoing staging CT scans. When such an incidental, asymptomatic venous thromboembolism (VTE) is discovered, the question arises whether the patient should be treated with…

  • Incidentally Discovered Blood Clots

    General comments CT scans and MRI scans are often done in medicine, for a variety of reasons.  Every so often such a scan will detect a blood clot in a patient who has no symptoms from the clot. This is referred to as an “incidental VTE”  (VTE = venous thromboembolism, i.e. clot in a vein)…

  • Cerebral Venous Thrombosis

    Stephan Moll, MD writes… 2011 Consensus Statement A superb, comprehensive and thoughtful expert summary was published for health care professionals in February 2011 [ref 1]. It gives a wealth of solid recommendations on diagnosis and treatment.

  • Sinus and Cerebral Vein Thrombosis

    Summary Sinus and cerebral vein clots are uncommon. They can lead to severe headaches, confusion, and stroke-like symptoms. They may lead to bleeding into the surrounding brain tissues. The clot can be triggered by infections of the ear, face, or neck, by estrogen use and pregnancy, and can be caused by inherited and acquired clotting…