Severe low back pain as the initial symptom of venous thrombosis of the inferior vena cava

BMJ Case Rep. 2014 Aug 25:2014:bcr2014205259. doi: 10.1136/bcr-2014-205259.

Abstract

A 45-year-old previously well male truck driver presented to the emergency department with severe low back pain; lumbosacral X-ray was normal and he was given analgaesics and discharged. The following day, he presented to the emergency department again, his pain had not responded to the analgaesics; this time he also presented with massive bilateral swelling of lower limbs and left testicle that started 3 h earlier. The pain was severe, dull and interfered with the patient's ability to walk. An urgent workup revealed extensive thrombosis of the inferior vena cava.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Fibrinolytic Agents / therapeutic use
  • Humans
  • Low Back Pain / diagnosis
  • Low Back Pain / etiology*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Pain Measurement
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Thrombolytic Therapy / methods*
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed
  • Ultrasonography, Doppler
  • Vena Cava, Inferior*
  • Venous Thrombosis / complications*
  • Venous Thrombosis / diagnosis
  • Venous Thrombosis / drug therapy

Substances

  • Fibrinolytic Agents