Deep Vein Thrombosis

What is Deep Vein Thrombosis?

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a blood clot in a deep vein. They’re most common in the leg but can happen in other parts of the body, as well.

There are many risk factors for DVT, including obesity, blood-clotting disorders, age, pregnancy, history of surgery, long periods of not moving—such as long trips—and certain diseases such as heart failure.

Symptoms of Deep Vein Thrombosis

These clots can develop without symptoms, but some symptoms can occur in the affected area, including:

Pain
Swelling
Redness

Complications from DVT can include:

Pulmonary embolus (PE). Sometimes a piece of a clot breaks off and travels to the lungs, cutting off blood flow to all or part of the lung. A PE is an emergency and can result in death. Symptoms of a pulmonary embolus in the lungs can include chest pain, trouble breathing, coughing (which may include coughing up blood), a fast heartbeat, sweating, or fainting. If you have symptoms that may indicate a blood clot in the lungs, call 911 or get emergency help.
Chronic venous insufficiency. This condition can occur following a blood clot in a leg vein. It means that a vein no longer works well. It is a long-term condition where blood pools in the vein instead of flowing back to the heart. Pain and swelling in the leg are common symptoms.
Post-thrombotic syndrome. This may also occur following a blood clot in a leg vein. It is a long-term problem with pain, swelling, and redness. Ulcers and sores can form. All of these symptoms may make it difficult to walk and take part in daily activities.

UR Medicine's Treatments for Deep Vein Thrombosis

The goal of treatment is to prevent the clot from getting larger, to prevent a blood clot from traveling to the lungs and to decrease the chance of another blood clot forming. Treatment may include:

Blood thinners to decrease the ability of the blood to clot
Clot busters to break up clots
Inferior vena cava filter to prevent clots from reaching the heart and lungs

What Sets Us Apart?

We offer true multidisciplinary care. Our team of experts includes vascular and endovascular surgeons, cardiovascular surgeons, interventional cardiologists, and cardiovascular imaging specialists.

UR Medicine is a referral center for the most complex cases, which means other hospitals in the Rochester area send their most challenging cases to us. These other hospitals trust us because UR Medicine leads the region in the number and scope of specialized services.

Our programs for heart failure, heart transplant, and cardio-oncology are unique in our area. These and other specialty programs ensure that you get the very latest treatments for a wide range of conditions. As the only academic medical center in the area, we’re involved in studies of the latest treatments. So our patients’ care is informed by the very latest findings.