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Aggressive treatment urged for pregnant women with iliofemoral DVT
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Aggressive therapy and surgery are recommended for pregnant women who develop iliofemoral deep vein thrombosis, Anthony Comerota, MD, said at the 24th Annual International Symposium on Endovascular Therapy.
Iliofemoral deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is four to six times more common in pregnant women. When not treated early or effectively, with blood thinners for example, the clot can become permanent, causing lifelong pain and blood flow problems in the leg.
Researchers presented results of a small study of 11 pregnant women with DVT. Nine women were treated with minimally invasive catheter-based techniques to deliver drugs; two underwent surgery to remove the clot.
According to the results, treatment successfully eliminated the clot in all cases. All but one of the pregnancies resulted in a successful birth. One women in her second trimester miscarried a week after treatment. The woman presented with antiphospholipid syndrome, which causes the blood to clot abnormally and increases the risk for miscarriage. Three women had successful subsequent pregnancies.
“Pulmonary embolism is the leading cause of maternal death in North America,” Comerota, director of the Jobst Vascular Institute at The Toledo Hospital, Ohio, said in a news release. “Physicians should use more effective treatment to prevent these women from having serious lifelong problems that can affect their ability to function normally.”
For more information:
- Comerota A. Session XVII: venous interventions. Presented at: the 24th Annual International Symposium on Endovascular Therapy; Jan. 15-19, 2012; Miami Beach, Fla.
Disclosure: Dr. Comerota reports no relevant financial disclosures.
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