Vaskulárna medicína 1/2010

Advances in endovascular treatment of deep venous thrombosis

Acute deep venous thrombosis (DVT) of lower extremities and pulmonary embolism (PE) are frequently occurring and potentially life-threatening emergencies. Standard method of treatment of acute DVT and thereby preventing of PE in these patient subsets is still anticoagulant therapy. Unfortunately these patients, especially with extensive acute ileofemoral DVT are threatened not only by emergence of PE but also by the long term, particularly so-called post-thrombotic syndrome (PTS). Extensive interest in endovascular techniques in recent years has led to the development of minimally invasive procedures, which directly attack venous thrombi and allow its removal from circulation. This article summarizes the current options in interventional radiology treatment of deep vein thrombosis of lower extremities, from the classical catheter guided thrombolysis to new, advanced technologies of combined pharmacomechanical thrombectomy or thrombolysis, and latest experience of the authors with them.

Keywords: deep venous thrombosis, post-thrombotic syndrome, pharmacomechanical thrombectomy, thrombolysis