Venous thrombectomy for iliofemoral vein thrombosis--10-year results of a prospective randomised study.
OBJECTIVE
To study if venous thrombectomy prevents late post-thrombotic sequelae, venous obstruction reflux, and improves venous physiology following an acute iliofemoral venous thrombosis.


METHODS
Prospective randomised controlled study.


METHODS
Thirty patients returned for follow-up 10 years after an acute iliofemoral venous thrombosis initially treated with conventional anticoagulation treatment (medical group, n = 17) or with thrombectomy combined with a temporary arteriovenous fistula and anticoagulation (surgical group, n = 13). Clinical assessment, radionuclide angiography, duplex ultrasound and venous physiology tests were performed.


RESULTS
Leg swelling was recorded in 12 (71%) and leg ulcers in three (18%) of the medical patients and in, respectively, six (46%) and one (8%) of the surgical patients. The surgical patients had less severe sequelae (class 0-2). Radionuclide angiography demonstrated that the iliac vein was more commonly occluded following medical (59%) than following surgical (17%) treatment (p < 0.05). Duplex examination demonstrated slightly (n.s.) more reflux in the femoral and popliteal veins in the medical group. Venous physiology (occlusion plethysmography, foot volumetry, and foot vein pressures) did not show any significant differences, although the medical group tended to have a more severe pathology.


CONCLUSIONS
Venous thrombectomy improves venous patency and possibly reduces venous reflux and post-thrombotic sequelae as compared to anticoagulation treatment.
Plate
G
G
Department of Surgery, Helsingborg Hospital, Sweden.
Eklöf
B
B
Norgren
L
L
Ohlin
P
P
Dahlström
J A
JA
D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005268:Femoral Vein; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007084:Iliac Vein; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010991:Plethysmography; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011875:Radionuclide Angiography; D016019:Survival Analysis; D017131:Thrombectomy; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D018616:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Duplex; D014654:Vascular Patency; D014690:Venous Pressure