Venous diameter and compliance after deep venous thrombosis.

Duplex sonography was used to measure diameters of the common femoral, superficial femoral, and popliteal veins in 56 patients followed for more than 6 months after DVT and in 17 normal subjects. Diameter changes with Valsalva's maneuver were also measured as an index of venous compliance. Among patients with unilateral thrombosis, segments with residual disease were 0.07 to 0.28 cm smaller than the contralateral disease-free side (p < 0.05 for CFV and SFV) with a diameter index (ipsilateral/contralateral diameter) significantly less than that of normal subjects. In contrast, completely recanalized segments were not significantly different from the contralateral side and had diameter indices indistinguishable from normal subjects. Distensibility with Valsalva's maneuver was not significantly different from normal in DVT patients with either resolved or residual disease. Venous diameter does decrease following DVT, but returns to normal following complete recanalization and is not associated with chronic venous compliance changes.