Objective: To explore the method and effectiveness of treatment for severe acute deep venous thrombosis (DVT) in lower extremity.
Methods: Eighteen patients with severe acute DVT treated in our hospital from January 1, 2002 to December 31, 2008 were retrospectively analysed. All the patients had limb edema and pain, sixteen had limb cyanochroia(one had calf skin ulcer and foot gangrene), two had limb pallor, ten had weakened dorsalis pedis artery pulsation, eight had silent dorsalis pedis artery pulsation. Colour Doppler ultrasonography revealed DVT and superficial venous thrombosis in all diseased limbs. One patient underwent above knee amputation for limb gangrene. Seventeen underwent surgical thrombectomy, of which three were simple thrombectomy, five were supplemented with suprapubic saphenous vein bypass, six with suprapubic PTFE graft bypass, three with iliac vein lysis angioplasty.
Results: One patient died (5.6%) on the third day after surgery. Limb edema relieved in seven patients (41.2%), reduced in ten patients (58.8%). All diseased limbs regained normal artery pulsation and skin appearance except for one limb amputated. Sixteen patients (94.1%) were followed up by a mean of 34 months. Limb edema disappeared in five patients (31.3%), reduced in eight patients (50%), recurrent in three patients (18.7%). Among three recurrent patients, one died of malignant tumor 9 months after operation, two had their graft occluded resulting from intimal hyperplasia.
Conclusions: Surgical thrombectomy is an effective method for treating severe acute DVT in lower extremity.