title: Treatment of deep vein thrombosis.
abstract: At present, most common initial treatment of deep vein thrombosis is anticoagulant therapy with i.v. heparin. Recently, some reports in literature suggest the efficacy of low molecular weight heparin fractions administered also to outpatients. Thrombolytic therapy as compared to heparin seems to be favorable as for the valvular integrity and function with minor postphlebitic sequels. It is however burdened with a higher incidence of hemorrhagic complications. Probably, it should be reserved for those patients with massive phlebothrombosis or phlebothrombosis associated with relevant clinical signs. At present, it has not definitely been proved that one of the commonly used drugs, streptokinase, urokinase and r-TPA affords substantial advantages in terms of efficacy and safety. Locoregional administration by a catheter inserted into the thrombus with the protection of a caval filter enhances the efficacy of thrombolytic agents, even if data on long-term results of this method are still lacking. Discordant opinions exist on the validity of thrombectomy. As a prophylaxis of pulmonary embolism, thrombus removal has been replaced by caval filters. At present it is commonly indicated for phlegmasia coerulea dolens. In the other forms, even if the vascular patency is restored in a good percentage of cases, it is not similarly effective in preventing the postphlebitic syndrome. For these reasons it should be applied in selected cases.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Clinica Chirurgica, Università Cattolica del S. Cuore, Policlinico A. Gemelli, Roma, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cina
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Marra
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Cotroneo
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Crucitti
mesh_terms: D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006495:Heparin, Low-Molecular-Weight / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D013300:Streptokinase / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017131:Thrombectomy; D013924:Thrombophlebitis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014568:Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents; D006495:Heparin, Low-Molecular-Weight; D013300:Streptokinase; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator; D014568:Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator