title: Upper extremity venous thrombosis diagnosed by duplex scanning.
abstract: The incidence of axillary-subclavian venous thrombosis continues to rise, while reports of noninvasive methods to diagnose this condition have been sparse. A review of the records of 693 consecutive upper extremity duplex scans was performed, and a diagnosis of acute venous thrombosis was made in 123 of these patients. Of these, 85 involved the axillary or subclavian vein. Use of a central venous catheter was the most common risk factor for axillary-subclavian venous thrombosis. Within this group, 8% had a pulmonary embolism, of which 25% were fatal. Follow-up of patients with axillary-subclavian venous thrombosis at a mean of 2 years revealed that 49% of these patients had died. Of the remaining patients, more than one third had evidence of the post-thrombotic syndrome. Duplex scanning of the venous system provides a safe, reliable, and repeatable method of evaluating and following patients with suspected venous thrombosis of the upper extremity.
authors.affiliation: Vascular Laboratory, Good Samaritan Hospital, Cincinnati, Ohio 45220-2489.
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Kerr
authors.forename: K S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Lutter
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Moeller
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Hasselfeld
authors.forename: L R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Roedersheimer
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: McKenna
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Winkler
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Spirtoff
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Sampson
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Cranley
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D001132:Arm / Q000098:blood supply; D001367:Axillary Vein; D002405:Catheterization, Central Venous / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000209:etiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D013350:Subclavian Vein; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality