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Updated: Jul 31, 2025

Point-Of-Care Ultrasound Screening for Proximal Lower Extremity Deep Venous Thrombosis
Published on: February 10, 2023
A rare cause of unilateral leg swelling: May-Thurner Syndrome
Hamid Channane1, Panagiotis M Spiliotis1, Andreea M Sandica1
1Department of Surgery, Ruhr-University Bochum, Knappschaftskrankenhaus, Bochum 44892, Germany.
Abstract:
Common left iliac vein compression, otherwise known as May-Thurner Syndrome (MTS), is a medical condition that refers to chronic compression of an anatomical variant of the left iliac vein by the overlying right common iliac artery and is a predisposing factor for deep vein thrombosis of the left lower limb (LDVT). Although MTS is not often, its true prevalence is underestimated due to misdiagnose, fact that can result to life-threatening conditions such as the development of LDVT and pulmonary embolism. In this paper, we present a case of MTS presenting at our department with unilateral leg swelling without LDTV that was treated through endovascular management along with long-term anticoagulation. With this presentation, the authors wish to emphasise the importance of MTS as a frequently under-diagnosed condition that needs to be ruled out in unilateral left leg swelling with or without LDVT.
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