What is deep vein thrombosis?

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a condition where blood clots form in the deep veins of the legs, pelvis, or arms, which can be life-threatening if not treated promptly.
The hospital has a team of highly experienced vascular surgeons, interventional radiologists, and other healthcare professionals who work together to provide personalized care to each patient. They use advanced techniques and state-of-the-art equipment to ensure safe and effective treatment of DVT.

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Symptoms

These are the symptoms provided by MGM hospital specialist:

  • Leg swelling.
  • Leg pain, cramping or soreness that often starts in the calf.
  • Change in skin color on the leg — such as red or purple, depending on the color of your skin.
  • A feeling of warmth on the affected leg.

Causes

The deep vein thrombosis causes factors identified by our healthcare experts:

  • Anything that prevents the blood from flowing or properly clotting can cause a blood clot.
  • The main causes of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) are damage to a vein from surgery or inflammation and damage due to infection or injury.

Risks

The following are the risk factors about deep vein thrombosis that states by our specialist:

  • Age:Being older than 60 increases the risk of DVT. But DVT can occur at any age.

  • Lack of movement:When the legs don't move for a long time, the calf muscles don't squeeze (contract). Muscle contractions help blood flow.

  • Injury or surgery:Injury to the veins or surgery can increase the risk of blood clots.

  • Pregnancy:Pregnancy increases the pressure in the veins in the pelvis and legs. The risk of blood clots from pregnancy can continue for up to six weeks after a baby is born. People with an inherited clotting disorder are especially at risk.

Prevention

For preventing deep vein thrombosis the following advices are offered by our hospital:

  • Move your legs:If you've had surgery or have been on bed rest, try to move as soon as possible. Don't cross your legs while sitting. Doing so can block blood flow.

  • Don't smoke:Smoking increases the risk of DVT.

  • Manage weight:Obesity is a risk factor for DVT. Regular exercise lowers the risk of blood clots. As a general goal, aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity every day. If you want to lose weight, maintain weight loss or meet specific fitness goals, you may need to exercise more.

How is it diagnosed?

In MGM diagnoses of deep vein thrombosis quite quickly and accurately: To diagnose DVT, your health care provider will do a physical exam and ask questions about your symptoms. The provider will check the legs for swelling, tenderness or changes in skin color.The treatment for DVT at MGM Hospital CBD includes a thorough diagnosis using various diagnostic procedures such as:
•Doppler ultrasound
•CT scan
•Blood tests

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How is it treated?

Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) is a medical condition where a blood clot forms in one or more of the deep veins in the body, usually in the legs. MGM Hospital CBD provides treatment for DVT through its skilled specialists and experts in the field of vascular surgery.

The skilled team of vascular surgeons and interventional radiologists at MGM Hospital CBD use advanced techniques and technology to provide effective and minimally invasive treatment options for patients with DVT.

DVT Treatment Procedures

When you can’t take medications to thin your blood or you have blood clots while taking blood thinners without missing doses, Vascular surgeon may have to do a procedure to put in an inferior vena cava (IVC) filter. The procedure is done under local anesthesia. Your surgeon inserts the IVC filter through a catheter into a large vein in your groin or neck, and then into your vena cava (the largest vein in your body). If blood clots in the veins of your legs break off and travel, the IVC filter is designed to prevent large blood clots (emboli) from reaching your lungs and causing a pulmonary embolism. While an IVC filter helps prevent a pulmonary embolism, it doesn’t keep more blood clots from forming in your veins.

Compression Stockings

You‘ll probably need to wear graded elastic compression stockings to either improve or completely get rid of leg swelling. Damage to the small valves inside your veins often causes this swelling. You may also have swelling because the DVT is blocking blood flow in your vein. You wear most compression stockings just below your knee. These stockings are tight at the ankle and become looser as they go away from your ankle. This causes gentle pressure (compression) on your leg. Some people need to wear these for two years or more. Several clinical studies have shown that compression stockings improve the symptoms of leg pain and swelling by at least 50% as long as they’re worn daily from morning to evening (they don’t have to be worn overnight). After surgery, your providers may put compression devices on your calves to put pressure on them. These machines squeeze and release the fabric-covered devices around your calves while you’re lying in bed. These devices help prevent a DVT if you’re in the hospital, but they aren’t prescribed outside of the hospital. In addition, unlike compression stockings that you can wear safely when a leg DVT is present, you shouldn’t use these devices for DVT prevention if you have a DVT.

Anticoagulants (blood thinners)

This type of medication makes it harder for your blood to clot. Anticoagulants also stop clots from getting bigger and prevent blood clots from moving. Anticoagulants don’t destroy or “melt” blood clots. Your body may naturally dissolve a clot, but sometimes clots don’t completely disappear. When they don’t, they usually shrink and become little “scars” inside your veins. Sometimes these “old” clots may result in leg swelling, but oftentimes they don’t cause symptoms. There are different types of anticoagulants: warfarin, heparin and oral Xa inhibitors. Your doctor will talk to you about the best type of medication for you. If you need to take an anticoagulant, you may have to take it for only a few months (usually three to six months) or you might take it indefinitely. Your treatment time may be different depending on the specific situations of each individual, including if: You’ve had clots before. You’re getting treatment for another illness, like cancer or an autoimmune disease (you may need to take an anticoagulant as long as your risk of a clot is higher.). Bleeding is the most common side effect of anticoagulants. You should call your doctor right away if you notice that you bruise or bleed easily while taking this medication.

Our Experts

Dr. Amrit Kejriwal

General Medicine
30 Years Experience

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Dr. B B Naik

General Medicine
18 Years Experience

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Dr. Prathamesh Deepak Kulkarni

Haematologist
8 Years Experience

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