Superficial venous thrombosis of the lower extremities co-existing with deep venous thrombosis. A phlebographic study...

The incidence of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) coexistent in patients suffering from superficial venous thrombosis (SVT) has not been well documented. In a series of 57 consecutive patients with SVT of the lower extremities treated in our Department in the last five years without any obvious clinical signs of co-existing DVT, an ascending phlebographic study was performed. Co-existent DVT was disclosed in 19.6% of the patients. There was no correlation between the location or the length of thrombus and the co-existence of DVT. Patients in whom SVT developed in existing varicose veins were younger in age and the incidence of co-existence of DVT was lower. Our findings show that SVT does not always have a benign course. The disclosure of a high incidence of co-existing DVT in our series suggests the necessity of the examination of the deep venous system in all the cases of SVT by using ultrasonic technics, triplex and preferably of the ascending phlebography. The disclosure of DVT in those cases makes the application of anticoagulant treatment mandatory.