Superficial venous thrombosis

Extract

• Superficial venous thrombosis (SVT) is a common disease of the superficial veins that most commonly occurs in the lower extremities (especially in the great saphenous vein [vena saphena magna]) and often is connected with varicose veins. It can also occur elsewhere, e.g. on the neck (external jugular vein), on the chest (Mondor’s disease) or in the upper extremities.
• As opposed to deep vein thrombosis (DVT), an inflammatory process of the venous wall is almost always present in addition to thrombosis.
• A more extensive SVT may spread to the deep veins. DVT has been described to be associated with about 20% and pulmonary embolism with about 4% of SVTs that have been more than 5 cm in length.
• Ultrasonography is helpful in the differential diagnostics and it is recommended to exclude DVT.
• D dimer is not helpful in the differentiation between superficial and deep venous thrombosis.
• An SVT (thrombophlebitis) of ≥ 5 cm in length in the lower extremity is treated with a prophylactic dose of anticoagulant therapy for 6 weeks.
• Muscular vein thrombosis and SVT are often mixed up. Muscular vein thrombosis is not an SVT but a sub-category of DVT, in which the thrombosis is located in the muscular veins of the calf region (plexus soleus or plexus gastrocnemius).

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Buerger's disease, Heparin, Low-Molecular-Weight, I80, I80.0*, O22.2, O87.0, Phlebitis, Pregnancy, Surgery, Vascular surgery, deep venous thrombosis, phlebitis, superficial, superficial venous thrombosis, thrombophlebitis, thrombophlebitis migrans