DEEP VEIN Thrombosis (DVT) What is deep vein thrombosis?

Deep vein thrombosis is the formation of a clot in the deep vein. These clots usually occur in the leg. If you have symptoms of the disease, seek treatment immediately to prevent serious complications.

What are the effects of DVT?

While DVT itself is not life-threatening, blood clots have the potential to break free and travel through the bloodstream. A pulmonaryembolism occurs when traveling blood clots lodge in the blood vessels of your lungs. Because this can be a life-threatening condition, immediate diagnosis and treatment is required.

What are the symptoms of DVT?

Half of those with DVT in their legs develop symptoms of intermittent leg pain and swelling that can last for months to years. This syndrome can cause more blood to "pool" than it should, due to damage to the valves and the inner lining of your veins. This increases the pressure in your veins and causes pain and swelling. This condition can be manifested by the following symptoms: blood pooling, chronic leg swelling, increased pressure in your veins, increased pigmentation or discoloration of your skin, leg ulcers known as venousstasis ulcers.

Common symptoms of DVT can be listed as follows: Abdominal pain or flank pain (if blood clots affect the veins deep in your abdomen). Swelling of your leg or arm (which can happen suddenly). Red or discolored skin. The veins near the surface of your skin are larger than normal. Pain or tenderness in your leg or arm (only when standing or walking). The swollen or sore area of your leg or arm is warmer than usual.

What are the risk factors that cause DVT? 

Be over 40 years old. Being overweight. Having a genetic disease. Having an autoimmune disease such as lupus, vasculitis, or inflammatory bowel disease. Getting cancer and some cancer treatments (chemotherapy). Having a family history of dvt. Having limited blood flow in a deep vein due to an injury, surgery, or immobility. Sitting for long periods of time, being sedentary after surgery or a serious injury, and not moving for long periods of time. Being pregnant or having recently given birth to a baby. Using tobacco products. Having varicose veins. Taking birth control pills or hormone therapy. Having a central venous catheter or pacemaker. having COVID-19. What are DVT Treatment Methods? In the first stage, medical treatment is applied and interventional intervention can be recommended according to the localization of the clot. The goals of treatment can be listed as follows. Preventing the growth of the blood clot Preventing the clot from moving to the lungs Preventing the clot from recurring Use of anticoagulants: Low molecular weight heparin and warfarin applied under the skin are the most commonly used blood thinners. If large clots are causing tissue damage, they may need to be surgically removed. A surgical approach is recommended only in the most severe cases, as it involves risks such as infection, vascular damage, and bleeding. Compression Stockings: Apart from drug treatment, the most important step in DVT treatment is to wear compression stockings. Socks should be at 30-40 mmHg pressure and long enough to reach below the knee. Compression stockings should be worn continuously for the first few days and then only during the day. Socks are put on before getting out of bed and are taken off when going to bed in the evening. Socks should be worn for at least 2 years. In the first days, resting by raising the legs above the level of the heart reduces the complaint in the leg. Dissolution of the clot: The classical treatment of DVT is as stated above. This treatment protects the patient from pulmonary embolism and significantly reduces leg complaints. However, the leg may not return to normal completely because the clot in the leg is not completely dissolved and the blockage is not opened. Unclogging is only possible with some special methods. These methods are to dissolve the clot by administering the clot-dissolving drugs to the clogged vessel with catheters, and to remove the clot with catheters or surgical methods. When the clot is dissolved, angioplasty and stent may sometimes be necessary to prevent the opened vessel from becoming occluded again. These methods really help the patient's complaints to pass significantly or completely.