[Phlebitis of the arm. Apropos of 45 cases]

We report in this retrospective study the data of 45 patients presenting with deep venous thrombosis of the upper extremities. This includes: 22 phlebitis due to strains, 3 traumatic phlebitis, 3 phlebitis combined with an adjacent injury, 7 phlebitis following endovenous therapeutic procedures and 10 spontaneous phlebitis (4 during adjacent medical pathologies), 3 pulmonary embolisms, including a septic one are thus demonstrated. No patient died. The follow-up date of 12 patients out of 32 exhibiting a spontaneous phlebitis or phlebitis due to a thoracic outlet syndrome have been documented: 25 p. 100 of them still presented with severe injuries. All patients underwent heparin therapy, but no fibrinolytic. A surgical procedure of the thoracic outlet syndrome was performed, when liable to the disease. Data of this series was then compared with those of previous reports on the subject.