Ileofemoral venous thrombectomy

Twentyeight patients with ileofemoral venous thrombosis were treated surgically. Five of the patients had moderate degree of venous congestion, 18 patients had phlegmasia alba dolens and five patients had phlegmasia coerulea dolens. The mean age was 54 years, range 15-80 years, and 15 were men and 13 were women. In all cases the thrombosis was verified by phlebography. Thrombectomy was performed with a Fogarty venous thrombectomy catheter. Peroperative phlebography was used in most cases to guarantee complete extraction of thrombotic material. No operative pulmonary embolism or mortality was encountered. Postoperative continuous heparin infusion in the thrombectomized segment was used for the first week followed by dicumarol treatment. The patients were followed from 6 months to 4 years postoperatively. In two patients thrombectomy was not possible to perform. One of these patients developed a pronounced postthrombotic syndrome, the other developed venous congestion of more moderate degree. Excellent long-term time results were obtained in 82% of the patients and satisfactory in 14%. Thrombectomy is an efficient treatment of ileofemoral venous thrombosis.