A 16-year haemodynamic follow-up of women with pregnancy-related medically treated iliofemoral deep venous thrombosis.

OBJECTIVES: to evaluate clinical and functional long-term outcomes following pregnancy-related medically treated iliofemoral deep venous thrombosis (DVT).

DESIGN: retrospective follow-up of patients identified through a registry search.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: twenty-five women underwent clinical examination, colour duplex ultrasound and computerised strain-gauge plethysmography on two occasions a mean of nine and 16 years after DVT.

RESULTS: 40% of the patients were completely asymptomatic and 52% had no clinical signs of venous disease after a mean follow-up of 16 years. The clinical signs were in general mild, and none of the 25 patients had skin changes or ulcers. Deep venous reflux was found in 36% of the patients; the same percentage at nine- and 16-years follow-up, and 24% had normal ultrasonographic appearance of all deep veins. None of the patients had plethysmographic evidence of outflow obstruction. There was a significant relationship between measures of venous reflux and the presence of leg swelling, but there was no clear relation between functional abnormalities and the extent of the initial DVT.

CONCLUSION: even after 16 years there are relatively mild symptoms and signs of venous disease in women with medically treated pregnancy-related iliofemoral DVT. Our results do not support earlier stated opinions that these patients represent a particular risk group for developing post-thrombotic syndrome.