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Definition
By Mayo Clinic staff
Thrombophlebitis (throm-bo-fluh-BI-tis) occurs when a blood clot causes swelling in one or more of your veins, typically in your legs. Rarely, thrombophlebitis (sometimes called phlebitis) can affect veins in your arms or neck.
The affected vein may be near the surface of your skin, causing superficial thrombophlebitis, or deep within a muscle, causing deep vein thrombosis (DVT). A clot in a deep vein increases your risk of serious health problems, including a dislodged clot (embolus) traveling to your lungs and blocking a pulmonary artery (pulmonary embolism). Thrombophlebitis can be caused by prolonged inactivity, such as sitting for a long time or lengthy bed rest.
Self-care methods can ease pain and reduce your risk of clots. Various treatments, including medications and surgery, are available for thrombophlebitis.
- Torpy JM, et al. Thrombophlebitis. Journal of the American Medical Association. 2008;300:1718.
- Deep vein thrombosis. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/Dvt/DVT_All.html. Accessed Nov. 3, 2010.
- Fernandez L, et al. Superficial thrombophlebitis of the lower extremity. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Nov. 2, 2010.
- Rodriguez-Peralto JL, et al. Superficial thrombophlebitis. Seminars in Cutaneous Medicine & Surgery. 2007;26:71.
- Deep vein thrombosis (DVT). The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec07/ch081/ch081b.html#sec07-ch081-ch081b-1758. Accessed Nov. 3, 2010.
- Di Nisio M, et al. Treatment for superficial thrombophlebitis of the leg. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2007:CD004982.
- Grogan M (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Nov. 18, 2010.
- Pradaxa (prescribing information). Ridgefield, Conn.: Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; 2010. http://bidocs.boehringer-ingelheim.com/BIWebAccess/ViewServlet.ser?docBase=renetnt&folderPath=/Prescribing%20Information/PIs/Pradaxa/Pradaxa.pdf. Nov. 18, 2010.
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