Upper extremity deep vein thrombosis uedvt is an increasingly important clinical entity with potential for considerable morbidity. Pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management of upper extremity. Management of deep vein thrombosis of the upper extremity. It also includes extension to the brachiocephalic vein, superior vena cava, and internal jugular vein. Treatment should generally follow the principles for lower extremity dvt. In the upper extremity the deep veins include the paired radial veins, paired ulnar veins, paired brachial veins, axillary vein. Repeated trauma secondary to sport or jobrelated arm. Upper limb deep vein thrombosis dvt is a less common phenomenon than lower limb dvt. Upper extremity deep vein thrombosis american college of.
The prevalence appears to be increasing, particularly because of an increased use of indwelling central venous catheters. See superficial phlebitis, superficial vein thrombosis clinical guide. Pdf diagnosis and management of deep vein thrombosis of. Incidence of upperextremity deep vein thrombosis in. Deep venous thrombosis dvt arises with an incidence of about 1 per persons per year. Deep vein thrombosis dvt or blood clot in the leg symptoms include swelling, warmth, redness, and pain in the leg with the blood clot. Upper extremity deep vein thrombosis uedvt accounts for. Pulmonary embolism pe is present in up to one third of patients with uedvt.
Venogram in a 45yearold woman with acuteonset swelling of her left upper extremity, showing deep vein thrombosis involving the subclavian vein arrow, with extension to the axillary and brachiocephalic veins. Upper extremity deep vein thrombosis uedvt is a rare thrombotic disorder 14% or all dvt, but it has a potential for considerable morbidity in the form of. Upper extremity deep vein thrombosis uedvt is a rare thrombotic disorder 14 % or all dvt, but it has a potential for considerable morbidity in the form of. See central venous catheterrelated deep vein thrombosis guide superficial vein thrombosis svt. Primary uedvt encompasses unprovoked thrombosis and thrombosis associated with thoracic outlet syndrome. Upperextremity deep vein thrombosis circulation aha journals. Proximal upper extremity deep vein thrombosis uedvt is defined by thrombosis of the brachial, axillary, or subclavian veins. Spontaneous deep vein thrombosis in the upper extremity of. Upper extremity deep venous thrombosis uedvt accounts for more than 10% of. The incidence of uedvt is much less than that of the lower extremity dvt possibly because. Deep vein thrombosis of the upper extremity request pdf. Thrombolysis may be considered on a casebycase basis for patients with uedvt with limb compromise. Upper extremity deep venous thrombosis uedvt occurs rarely and only accounts for 4 to 10% of all deep vein thrombosis cases.
Upper extremity deep vein thrombosis uedvt is defined as thrombosis of the deep venous system subclavian, axillary, brachial, ulnar, and radial veins. Pdf upper extremity deep venous thrombosis researchgate. Dvt treatment guidelines, medications, and surgery options are provided. Deep vein thrombosis of the upper extremity is an increasing clinical problem due to the use of longterm indwelling catheters for chemotherapy or longterm feeding. Causes are pregnancy, obesity, smoking, medications, and prolonged sitting. Upper extremity deep vein thrombosis uedvt accounts for approximately 5 to 10 percent of all cases of dvt with incidence increasing due to higher frequency of intravenous catheter use.