New endovascular treatment options of deep vein thrombosis

The standard treatment of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) consists of anticoagulation, compression therapy and mobilization. Although this therapy reduces the risk of post thrombotic syndrome (PTS), in 25 % of patients with iliofemoral DVT a post-thrombotic syndrome is developing within 2 years. New endovascular techniques facilitate early thrombus removal and recanalization of the deep veins. Hereby, they might reduce the risk of PTS. In addition to the diagnosis of DVT, this review focusses particularly on new treatment options for DVT. The available results using catheter-guided thrombolysis or percutaneous mechanical thrombectomy show very good primary success rates and a patency rate over 80 % during follow-up. These procedures are supplemented by endovascular stent angioplasty to treat the remaining venous stenoses. These promising results demonstrate the potential for catheter-guided procedures for treatment of ilio-femoral DVT. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart New York.