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: Deep vein thrombosis (DVT)

  • Symptoms of DVT and PE

    DVT (Deep Vein Thrombosis) A DVT is a blood clot that most commonly occurs in the leg, typically only one leg (image 1). However, occasionally it occurs in both legs at the same time (=bilateral DVT). Sometimes, a DVT is in the pelvic veins or the big abdominal vein (=inferior vena cava). And some DVTs…

  • Progestin-only Contraceptives and Blood Clots

    Background It is well known that combination contraceptives (containing estrogens AND progestins) increase the risk for blood clots (venous thromboembolism = VTE). Relatively few data, however, have been published on progestin-only contraceptives, so that until recently it has not been clear whether they increase the risk for VTE or not.

  • Progestin-only Contraceptives and Thrombosis

    Background It is well known that combination contraceptives (containing estrogens AND progestins) increase the risk for venous thromboembolism (VTE). Relatively few data, however, have been published on progestin-only contraceptives, so that until recently it was not clear whether they increase the risk for venous thromboembolism (VTE) or not.

  • Arm and Leg Veins – Anatomy and Terminology

    Confusion as to which veins of arms and legs are superficial and which are deep can lead to an incorrect diagnosis. As treatment of clots in superficial veins (= superficial thrombophlebitis) is different to that of clots in deep veins (DVT = deep vein thrombosis), the distinction between superficial and deep veins is important.

  • Arm and Leg Veins – Anatomy + Terminology

    Confusion as to which veins of arms and legs are superficial and which are deep can lead to misclassification superficial thrombophlebitis and DVT and, thus, to incorrect treatment decisions. A. Arm Veins Graph of  Arm vein terminology Basilic and cephalic veins are superficial veins; Brachial veins

  • Xarelto® – Good News

    Summary Good news. A major study published in December 2010 in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) shows that the new oral “blood thinner” Xarelto® (=Rivaroxaban) is (a) as safe and effective as warfarin in patients with acute deep vein thrombosis (DVT), and (b) is quite effective in preventing recurrent blood clots (DVT…

  • May-Thurner Syndrome

    Summary A congenital stenosis of the left main pelvic vein (= left common iliac vein) by pressure from the overlying right common iliac artery (image 1) is referred to as May Thurner syndrome. While this anatomic variant is a risk factor for DVT, in many people is causes no symptoms and is irrelevant.

  • May-Thurner Syndrome

    Summary Some people have a narrowing of their big left pelvic vein (= left common iliac vein) that can put them at risk for a blood clot (deep vein thrombosis = DVT) in that area and in the left leg. The narrowing is due to pressure onto the vein by the overlying big pelvic artery…