Studio 2 Medical Edition sponsored by UBMD sat down with Dr. Linda Harris to discuss deep vein thrombosis, or DVT. Dr. Harris is the Program Director for the Vascular Fellowship and Vascular Residency Programs at UBMD Surgery. She is board certified by the American Board of Surgery in vascular and general surgery, specializing in minimally invasive endovascular, hybrid, as well as complex open vascular surgery in aortic aneurysms, peripheral arterial disease, and carotid artery disease.
Deep vein thrombosis, DVT, is a blood clot going back to the heart. The blood clot forms in one or more of the deep veins in the body, usually in the legs. DVT can cause leg pain or swelling, however, there are no noticeable symptoms.
While blood clots are typically treated with blood thinners, there are new treatments for DVT. If blood-thinning medications are not recommended, a small filter may be implanted in the inferior vena cava (IVC), the large vein that returns blood back to the heart. The IVC filter allows blood to flow around the trapped clot while preventing the clot from traveling to the lungs or heart. Healthcare professionals can also perform DVT thrombolysis, which is a minimally invasive procedure that involves inserting a small catheter into the leg using ultrasound and X-ray guidance. This technique uncovers one or more areas of narrowing of the vein that caused the blood clot to form. Once that is identified, the surgeon will perform an angioplasty – widening of the vein.
For more information on DVT, please visit https://ubmdsurgery.com/vascular-surgery/
