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You have been told you have a blood clot in your leg called a DVT (deep vein thrombosis). The following information explains more about a common long-term effect of DVT called Post-Thrombotic Syndrome or PTS. If you have any questions or concerns after reading this material, you should write them down and talk with your doctor or health care provider at your next appointment.

Post-Thrombotic Syndrome is the name for the long-term health condition that some people get after a deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a blood clot in the leg. While some people who have had DVT or blood clots in the leg recover completely, others may be left with symptoms and physical signs in the affected limb that are collectively known as PTS.

For people with blood clots in the leg (DVT), PTS can cause leg pain and discomfort, and in severe cases, leg ulcers. These symptoms may last for many years or for the rest of your life. These can interfere with some of your regular activities, such as walking or standing, and can make your life less enjoyable. Treatment for PTS and PTS ulcers can also be expensive and take a lot of time.

The veins deep within our legs have tiny valves that control the direction of blood flow. A blood clot in a leg vein can cause inflammation and block blood flow, causing damage to these valves. When valves are damaged, they can become leaky, causing blood to flow back down toward the ankle. The extra fluid in the ankle builds pressure in the leg. This makes the leg painful, swollen, and sometimes red in color. As PTS gets worse, poor blood flow in the leg can cause leg ulcers, which can be painful, difficult to treat and can occur in 5-10 percent of patients who have had a DVT.

PTS occurs in 20-40 percent of patients after an episode of lower extremity DVT, making it a common complication. 1 out of 10 patients may get severe PTS with leg ulcers. You may be more likely to get PTS if you:

Are over age 65

Have a blood clot in the deep veins above the knee (proximal deep vein thrombosis)

Have more than one blood clot in the same leg twice (or more)

Are still having blood clot symptoms 1 month after being diagnosed with the blood clot

Are very overweight

Have trouble keeping your blood thinner levels stable during your first 3 months of treatment

We're not exactly sure, but it may be anytime in the first 6 months to 2 years after the blood clot in the leg.

These are the most common signs and symptoms of PTS in the leg with the blood clot:

Pain

Swelling that gets worse after walking or standing for a long time, and better after resting or raising the leg

Aching or heaviness in your leg

Cramping

Itching

Tingling

Bluish or brownish coloring of the skin on your leg

An ulcer (sore) on the leg

New varicose veins

Dry flaky skin or redness

These problems are different for every patient--you may have all of these or only a few of these. You may feel these problems all of the time or they may come and go.

Many of the signs of PTS are the same as those for new blood clots in the leg, so it is very important for you to have your health care provider look at your leg. Only your health care provider can tell you if your problems are from a new blood clot or from PTS.

Your health care provider will look at your leg and ask you some questions about how your leg is feeling. Then he or she will tell you if you have PTS. You do not need any special scans or blood tests to find out if you have PTS. Click the highlighted links to view a VIDEO DEMONSTRATION of a PTS patient assessment and risk analysis.

Since PTS can be such a long-term problem, prevention is very important. Here are some things you can do to prevent PTS:

1. Prevent blood clots. Blood clots cause the damage in the leg veins that cause PTS. So by preventing blood clots, we can prevent PTS.

Some people are at higher risk of getting blood clots, especially patients in the hospital who have had recent surgery or are confined to bed. Patients are often given compression boots, stockings, or medicine to prevent blood clots while in the hospital and even after discharge. If you are in the hospital and are not given any of these things, you should ask your health care provider if you need blood clot prevention.

If you have already had a blood clot in the leg, you are at risk of getting a second blood clot. The best way to prevent a second blood clot is to take your blood thinner medication and have your blood checked exactly as your health care provider tells you. You should not stop taking your blood thinner medication until your health care provider tells you to stop.

2. Lose weight if you are overweight. Increased weight puts more strain on the leg veins.

3. Wear graduated (elastic) compression stockings. Wearing a special elastic stocking on the leg with the blood clot may help prevent PTS. See the brochure called Focus on Elastic Compression Stockings for information on how to get stockings and how to wear them correctly.

4. See your health care provider regularly. Your health care provider can examine your leg at every appointment to look for signs of PTS. Your health care provider can also advise you about wearing compression stockings and about taking your blood thinner medication correctly.

PTS can be a difficult health condition to treat, so your health care provider may tell you to use one or all of these possible treatments:

Leg elevation. Often elevating your leg correctly can help with the pain and swelling from PTS. CLICK HERE to view a Video Demonstration of proper leg elevation.

Compression. Your health care provider may prescribe either graduated compression stockings or a device worn on the leg (or both) to improve blood flow and control pain and swelling. CLICK HERE for a printable compression stocking information sheet. CLICK HERE for a list of locations in UTAH where you can purchase compression stockings.

Medications. Some studies have shown that herbal supplements such as aescin (horse chestnut extract) and rutosides can be helpful in relieving leg pain and swelling caused by PTS. Your health care provider may recommend these supplements if compression stockings are not enough to help your leg pain and swelling.

Special care for ulcers. If you get a leg ulcer because of PTS, you should see a special health care provider who has extra training in helping ulcers to heal. That health care provider may give you special medications or bandages for the ulcer.

CLICK HERE for a printer friendly version of this information.


You have been told you have a blood clot in your leg called a DVT (deep vein thrombosis). The following information explains more about a common long-term effect of DVT called Post-Thrombotic Syndrome or PTS. If you have any questions or concerns after reading this material, you should write them down and talk with your doctor or health care provider at your next appointment.

Post-Thrombotic Syndrome is the name for the long-term health condition that some people get after a deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a blood clot in the leg. While some people who have had DVT or blood clots in the leg recover completely, others may be left with symptoms and physical signs in the affected limb that are collectively known as PTS.


For people with blood clots in the leg (DVT), PTS can cause leg pain and discomfort, and in severe cases, leg ulcers. These symptoms may last for many years or for the rest of your life. These can interfere with some of your regular activities, such as walking or standing, and can make your life less enjoyable. Treatment for PTS and PTS ulcers can also be expensive and take a lot of time.

The veins deep within our legs have tiny valves that control the direction of blood flow. A blood clot in a leg vein can cause inflammation and block blood flow, causing damage to these valves. When valves are damaged, they can become leaky, causing blood to flow back down toward the ankle. The extra fluid in the ankle builds pressure in the leg. This makes the leg painful, swollen, and sometimes red in color. As PTS gets worse, poor blood flow in the leg can cause leg ulcers, which can be painful, difficult to treat and can occur in 5-10 percent of patients who have had a DVT.

PTS occurs in 20-40 percent of patients after an episode of lower extremity DVT, making it a common complication. 1 out of 10 patients may get severe PTS with leg ulcers. You may be more likely to get PTS if you: Are over age 65 Have a blood clot in the deep veins above the knee (proximal deep vein thrombosis) Have more than one blood clot in the same leg twice (or more) Are still having blood clot symptoms 1 month after being diagnosed with the blood clot Are very overweight Have trouble keeping your blood thinner levels stable during your first 3 months of treatment

We're not exactly sure, but it may be anytime in the first 6 months to 2 years after the blood clot in the leg.

These are the most common signs and symptoms of PTS in the leg with the blood clot: Pain Swelling that gets worse after walking or standing for a long time, and better after resting or raising the leg Aching or heaviness in your leg Cramping Itching Tingling Bluish or brownish coloring of the skin on your leg An ulcer (sore) on the leg New varicose veins Dry flaky skin or redness These problems are different for every patient--you may have all of these or only a few of these. You may feel these problems all of the time or they may come and go.

Many of the signs of PTS are the same as those for new blood clots in the leg, so it is very important for you to have your health care provider look at your leg. Only your health care provider can tell you if your problems are from a new blood clot or from PTS.

Your health care provider will look at your leg and ask you some questions about how your leg is feeling. Then he or she will tell you if you have PTS. You do not need any special scans or blood tests to find out if you have PTS. Click the highlighted links to view a VIDEO DEMONSTRATION of a PTS patient assessment and risk analysis.

Since PTS can be such a long-term problem, prevention is very important. Here are some things you can do to prevent PTS: 1. Prevent blood clots. Blood clots cause the damage in the leg veins that cause PTS. So by preventing blood clots, we can prevent PTS. Some people are at higher risk of getting blood clots, especially patients in the hospital who have had recent surgery or are confined to bed. Patients are often given compression boots, stockings, or medicine to prevent blood clots while in the hospital and even after discharge. If you are in the hospital and are not given any of these things, you should ask your health care provider if you need blood clot prevention. If you have already had a blood clot in the leg, you are at risk of getting a second blood clot. The best way to prevent a second blood clot is to take your blood thinner medication and have your blood checked exactly as your health care provider tells you. You should not stop taking your blood thinner medication until your health care provider tells you to stop. 2. Lose weight if you are overweight. Increased weight puts more strain on the leg veins. 3. Wear graduated (elastic) compression stockings. Wearing a special elastic stocking on the leg with the blood clot may help prevent PTS. See the brochure called Focus on Elastic Compression Stockings for information on how to get stockings and how to wear them correctly. 4. See your health care provider regularly. Your health care provider can examine your leg at every appointment to look for signs of PTS. Your health care provider can also advise you about wearing compression stockings and about taking your blood thinner medication correctly.

PTS can be a difficult health condition to treat, so your health care provider may tell you to use one or all of these possible treatments: Leg elevation. Often elevating your leg correctly can help with the pain and swelling from PTS. CLICK HERE to view a Video Demonstration of proper leg elevation. Compression. Your health care provider may prescribe either graduated compression stockings or a device worn on the leg (or both) to improve blood flow and control pain and swelling. CLICK HERE for a printable compression stocking information sheet. CLICK HERE for a list of locations in UTAH where you can purchase compression stockings. Medications. Some studies have shown that herbal supplements such as aescin (horse chestnut extract) and rutosides can be helpful in relieving leg pain and swelling caused by PTS. Your health care provider may recommend these supplements if compression stockings are not enough to help your leg pain and swelling. Special care for ulcers. If you get a leg ulcer because of PTS, you should see a special health care provider who has extra training in helping ulcers to heal. That health care provider may give you special medications or bandages for the ulcer.
CLICK HERE for a printer friendly version of this information.