ABSTRACT

A Case of Proximal Deep Vein Thrombosis Following Lower Limb Angioplasty

Chaozer Er¹, Sandeep Gohar²
Associate Consultant¹, Department of General Medicine, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore
Senior Resident², Department of General Medicine, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore

The incidence of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) following coronary intervention via femoral artery catheterization was reported to be 0.05%¹. The incidence of DVT following angioplasty performed for lower limb peripheral arterial disease is unclear. My literature search failed to identify any previously reported cases. I hereby report a case of proximal DVT following angioplasty of lower limb. It has been reported that peripheral arterial disease increases the risk of DVT². Other contributing factors of venous thromboembolism following femoral artery catheterization include prolonged bed rest, immobility of a catheterized limb, groin compression and haematoma compressing the femoral vein¹. This case highlights the importance of setting up a database or study to document the prevalence of DVT following lower limb angioplasty and to study its clinical outcome. This will provide valuable information for pre-angioplasty counselling to patients. It also raised the question if short term prophylactic anticoagulation rather than antiplatelet following angioplasty for peripheral arterial disease should be a routine practice.

References:

1.      Min SY, Shin JH, Lee SW, Doo E, Kim BK, Won YW, Park HC, Choi SI, Kim SG. A Case of Deep Vein Thrombosis after Coronary Angiography in a Patient Using Antidepressants and Anxiolytics, Korean Circ J. 2013 Feb;43(2):132-4. doi: 10.4070/kcj.2013.43.2.132. Epub 2013 Feb 28.

2.      Libertiny G, Hands L. Deep venous thrombosis in peripheral vascular disease, Br J Surg. 1999 Jul;86(7):907-10.