Module 4 : Acute Venous Pathology Flashcards
venous system characteristics
- low pressure system
- spontaneous flow
- demonstrate changes with respiration and augmentation/compression
Deep Venous Thrombosis (DVT)
- occur when there is an alteration of the normal hemodynamics or architecture of the venous system
- most common reason for a vein exam
+ 50% clinically diagnosed - complication
+ pulmonary embolism
+ 80% originate in LE
+ 30% mortality - chronic venous problems = valves
Virchows triad
- stasis
- hyper coagulability
- intimal injury
venous stasis
- MOST COMMON FACTOR
- caused by
+ immobility
+ myocardial infarction
+ congestive heart failure
+ chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
+ obesity
+ pregnancy
+ previous DVT
+ surgery
+ paraplegia
hypercoagulability
- clotting ability of blood increased
- caused by
+ pregnancy
+ cancer
+ estrogen intake
+ genetic blood factors (deficiency in protein C & S anticoagulants)
indications for lower extremity vascular US
- suspicion of DVT
- suspicion of pulmonary embolism
- incompetent valves and mass causing symptoms
- edema/swelling especially unilateral
- limb pain and tenderness
- ulceration shallow and round
- discolouration in gaiter area
- varicose veins
- hypercoagulable state
- pallor
- cyanosis
- positive D-dimer test (increase in fibrin strands in blood)
indications for upper extremity venous US
- suspicion of DVT
- history of catheter lines or drug abuse
- head or neck swelling/edema
- limb redness
- suspected injury after venous puncture (IJV)
- symptoms of PE
patient history for LE DVT
- acute onset of leg pain
- acute onset of swelling
- persistent leg calf swelling
- redness
- warm skin
- symptoms of PE
- previous DVT
- clotting issues
- trauma
- surgery
symptoms of PE
- shortness of breath SOB
- chest pain
- hemoptysis
thrombus formation
- starts in sole sinus and or calf veins a valve cusps
- predominantly due to stasis
- formation begins as aggrgations of red cells near valve cusps due to stasis and eddy currents
- stabilized by fibrin, thrombi become adherent to endothelium and propagation occurs
Acute DVT
- days to 1-2 weeks old
- dilation of the veins along with lack of compressibility
- echogenic or isoechoic material
- total or partial obstruction
disease location
- although any venous site can develop thrombus, common origins include \+ gastrocnemius and solar sinus \+ valve sites \+ venous confluence \+ deep venous system \+ superficial venous system \+ perforators * superficial - deep calf veins - proximal
sonographic findings of acute DVT
- enlarged vein with isoechoic or slightly echogenic
- vein will not coapt
- may not adhere well to wall and appear to float or wave within the lumen
- collateralization may occur rapidly
- retrograde flow
- incompetent valves reverse flow in response to valsalva or compression proximal to site of valve
- continuous venous flow with respiratory phasicity is abnormal and suggest proximal disease
sub acute thrombus
- 1 to 2 months old
- changes show increasing echogenicity and decreasing venous diameter
- some resumption of flow through recanaliztion and formation of collaterals
chronic thrombus
- chronic thrombotic scarring months to years after the initial event
- moderate to high echogenicity and may be isoechoic to surrounding tissue and making it difficult to assess the vein
sonographic findings of chronic DVT
- echogenic thrombus
- vein smaller than artery
- presence of collaterals
- recanalization
diagnostic criteria for venous duplex - normal
- complete compression of vein walls with light probe pressure
- absent intraluminal thrombus
- color flow fills lumen completely
- normal venous doppler spontaneity, phasicity and augmentation
- no venous dilation
diagnostic criteria for venous duplex - abnormal
- lack of complete vein compression
- intraluminal echoes present
- decrease or absence of color flow
- abnormal venous doppler spontaneity phasicity or augmentation
- dilated or contracted veins noted
thrombosis descriptions and characteristics - acute
- light to medium echogenic or anechoic
- spongy lecture on compression
- poorly attaches or free floating
- dilated vein
thrombosis descriptions and characteristics - chronic
- bright heterogenous echoes
- irregular texture
- attached
- same size as artery or vein is contracted
- collateral vein may be seen
can veins be partially or completely incompressible in the two acute and chronic
yes
can DVT be both acute and chronic
- yes
0 acute on top of chronic thrombosis
can we determine age of thrombus
- no
calf vein DVT
- solar sinus most common site of formation
- clinical importance is uncertain
- propagation into pop vein varies widely
- current treatments
+ surveillance with duplex US to check propagation into larger veins
+ therapeutic anticoagulation for 6 weeks