Treatment of Acute and Chronic DVT

The traditional approach to treatment of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) is the use of blood thinners to prevent enlargement of the clot found within the deep vein. Over time, our bodies can slowly dissolve the clot and sometimes restore normal blood flow through the vein. During this time, however, the vein wall becomes damaged due to the irritation of the vein wall by the clot. On many occasions, the normal vein is never reopened by the body. Instead the body finds other smaller veins in the area to carry the blood back to the heart and the blocked vein never reopens. Months or years after the diagnosis and treatment of a DVT, the patient is susceptible to chronic venous insufficiency and chronic swelling in the affected extremity (arm or leg).

At South Coast Vein Care, our physicians can treat DVT's with an FDA approved technique, which dissolves the thrombus or clot during one or two outpatient treatments. These treatments are performed via an endovascular approach using just a large IV placed below the clot and the use of 'clot busting' medications placed directly into the vein and the clot. This helps prevent long term damage to the vein and helps prevent chronic venous insufficiency.