Deep vein thrombosis: endovascular management

Deep vein thrombosis is a condition that affects hundreds of thousands of patients each year. The major complications include pulmonary embolus with the potential for loss of life and post-thrombotic syndrome with the potential for loss of function of the limb. Extensive clinical research over the last 40 years has improved the techniques to remove the thrombus from the affected limb and reduce the likelihood of developing post-thrombotic syndrome. These treatments have included intravenous systemic thrombolysis, catheter-directed thrombolysis, surgical thrombectomy, and most recently pharmacomechanical thrombectomy to rapidly fragment, lyse, and remove the thrombus from the affected limb. This last technique may finally transform the treatment of acute deep vein thrombus from strictly conservative medical therapy to a minimally invasive procedure that can remove the thrombus to improve the quality of life of millions of individuals suffering from the symptoms of deep vein thrombosis. Mt Sinai J Med 77:286-295, 2010. (c) 2010 Mount Sinai School of Medicine.