Via practica 6/2015

Post-thrombotic syndrome: risk of development, prevention, and treatment

Post-thrombotic syndrome (PTS) is the most serious chronic complication of deep vein thrombosis (DVT). It is manifested by pain, swelling, skin changes, and ulcerations in the affected limb. The pathophysiology involves post-thrombotic venous stenoses and valve destruction, resulting in ambulatory venous hypertension. Recurrence of DVT increases the relative risk of PTS by about eight-fold, and there is also an inverse relationship when the patients with PTS have a higher risk of DVT recurrence. Therefore, PTS prevention consists in preventing the development, progression, and, in particular, recurrence of DVT. Currently, the treatment is mainly conservative. Correct and timely diagnosis is of importance. The fact that PTS is not taken into consideration is one of the major problems concerning the disease.

Keywords: post-thrombotic syndrome, deep vein thrombosis, risk factors, prevention.