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.