Venous Disease and Thrombosis

Venous Disease and Thrombosis

Venous Disease and Thrombosis

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Varicose Veins & Anatomy - Leggy Lumps

  • Anatomy:
    • Superficial: GSV, SSV.
    • Deep: Femoral, Popliteal, Tibial.
    • Perforators: Connect superficial to deep. Leg Vein Anatomy: Superficial, Deep, Perforator Veins
  • Varicose Veins: Dilated, tortuous superficial veins.
    • Primary: Valvular incompetence.
    • Secondary: Post-DVT, AV fistula.
    • Risk Factors: Family Hx, Age, Female, Obesity, Prolonged standing, Pregnancy. 📌 FAME (Family Hx, Age, More women, ↑Venous pressure).
    • Pathophysiology: Valve failure → venous reflux → ↑venous pressure → dilation.
  • Clinical: Tortuous veins, aching, heaviness, edema, cramps.
  • Complications: Bleeding, thrombophlebitis, skin changes (lipodermatosclerosis), ulceration (medial malleolus).

⭐ Saphenofemoral junction incompetence is the most common cause of primary varicose veins.

Deep Vein Thrombosis - Clot Calamity

Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT): Blood clot in a deep vein, most commonly in the leg. 📌 VIRCHOW Mnemonic: Vascular damage, Increased coagulability, Reduced blood flow - Stasis, Clot Hx, OCP/HRT, Wt (obesity), Old age, W immobilization.

Virchow's Triad:

ComponentExamples
Endothelial InjuryTrauma, surgery, inflammation, previous DVT
StasisImmobilization (post-op, travel), paralysis, heart failure, obesity
HypercoagulabilityInherited (Factor V Leiden), Acquired (malignancy, OCPs, pregnancy, APLS)
  • Inherited: Factor V Leiden, Prothrombin gene mutation, Protein C/S deficiency, ATIII deficiency.
  • Acquired: Surgery, trauma, malignancy, OCPs/HRT, pregnancy, immobilization, Antiphospholipid Syndrome (APLS), age > 60.

⭐ Factor V Leiden mutation is the most common inherited thrombophilia predisposing to DVT.

Clinical Features: Often asymptomatic. Leg pain, swelling, warmth, tenderness. Homan's sign (unreliable).

Diagnosis:

  • Compression Ultrasound (CUS): Gold standard.

Deep vein thrombosis formation and embolization

Complications: Pulmonary Embolism (PE), Post-Thrombotic Syndrome (PTS), Phlegmasia Cerulea Dolens (painful blue leg).

Pulmonary Embolism - Lung Blockers

  • Def: Obstruction of pulmonary artery/branches.
  • Source: >90% DVT (lower limbs).
  • Pathophysio: V/Q mismatch → hypoxemia; ↑pulm. vascular resistance → pulm. HTN → RV strain.
  • Types: Thrombus (most common), fat, air, amniotic fluid, tumor, septic.
  • Clinical: Sudden dyspnea, pleuritic chest pain, cough, hemoptysis. Tachycardia, tachypnea. Severe: syncope.
    • 📌 PE: Pleuritic pain, Expectoration (hemoptysis)
  • Diagnosis:
    • Scores: Wells score for PE, revised Geneva score.
    • D-dimer: Rules out PE if low probability & negative D-dimer.
    • CT Pulmonary Angiography (CTPA): Gold standard.
    • V/Q Scan: If CTPA contraindicated/inconclusive.
    • ECG: S1Q3T3 (classic but uncommon), sinus tachycardia.
    • Echo: RV dysfunction (e.g., McConnell's sign).
  • Lines of Zahn:

    ⭐ Lines of Zahn (alternating layers of platelets/fibrin & RBCs) indicate a thrombus formed in flowing blood (pre-mortem).

  • Severity:
    • Massive PE: Sustained hypotension (SBP <90 mmHg).
    • Submassive PE: RV dysfunction or myocardial necrosis (biomarkers) without systemic hypotension.

Other Venous Conditions & CVI - Vein Vexations

  • Superficial Thrombophlebitis: Superficial vein inflammation/thrombosis, often varicose.

  • Migratory Thrombophlebitis (Trousseau Syndrome): Malignancy-assoc. (pancreatic Ca). 📌 TROUSSEAU: Tumour Related OUtflow Stasis, Superficial Emboli, Adenocarcinoma Underlying.

    ⭐ Trousseau syndrome (migratory thrombophlebitis) is a paraneoplastic sign strongly associated with visceral adenocarcinomas, particularly pancreatic cancer.

  • SVC & IVC Syndromes:

    FeatureSVC SyndromeIVC Syndrome
    CausesLung cancer, lymphomaTumor, thrombus
    SignsFace/arm swell, dyspnea, plethoraLeg edema, ascites, caput medusae
  • Chronic Venous Insufficiency (CVI):

    • Patho: Venous HTN, valve damage, post-thrombotic.
    • Features: Edema, skin changes (pigment, lipodermatosclerosis), medial malleolus ulcer. Symptoms of Chronic Venous Insufficiency

High‑Yield Points - ⚡ Biggest Takeaways

  • Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) commonly affects leg veins; pulmonary embolism (PE) is its most feared complication.
  • Virchow's triad (stasis, hypercoagulability, endothelial injury) is fundamental to venous thrombogenesis.
  • Factor V Leiden mutation is the most common inherited cause of hypercoagulability, predisposing to DVT.
  • Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is a significant acquired cause of recurrent venous or arterial thrombosis.
  • Elevated D-dimer has high sensitivity but low specificity; primarily used to rule out DVT/PE.
  • Trousseau syndrome (migratory thrombophlebitis) is often a paraneoplastic sign of visceral malignancy.
  • Chronic venous insufficiency can follow DVT, causing edema, stasis dermatitis, and ulceration.

Practice Questions: Venous Disease and Thrombosis

Test your understanding with these related questions

Which of the following is not a direct cause of varicose veins?

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Flashcards: Venous Disease and Thrombosis

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What is the most common pathology at the CCA bifurcation?_____

TAP TO REVEAL ANSWER

What is the most common pathology at the CCA bifurcation?_____

Atheromas

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Venous Disease and Thrombosis | Vascular Pathology - OnCourse NEET-PG