Interventional radiology treatments re-establish blood flow in patients with chronic deep vein thrombosis (DVT), according to research presented at the Society of Interventional Radiology's (SIR) annual meeting being held in San Francisco this week.
Interventional radiologists from Christiana Care Health Services reported that patients who underwent minimally invasive treatments, including angioplasty and stenting, to open blood vessels and dissolve blood clots saw restored blood flow in 97% of 122 affected limbs. The 100 patients were treated over a three-year time frame.
Dr. Mark Garcia, chief of vascular interventional radiology and medical director of Christiana Care's heart and vascular peripheral labs, reported to SIR attendees that at follow-up, 93% of patients reported significant symptomatic improvement, while 7% experienced no change.
Of the individuals who returned for an ultrasound exam one year following treatment, 79% of 38 limbs examined still demonstrated continued blood flow, according to Garcia and colleagues. At two years, 58% of 19 limbs examined had continued blood flow. The majority of patients treated did not return after six months and were lost to follow-up.
