Post-thrombotic syndrome (PTS)

After a diagnosis of deep vein thrombosis in the leg, approximately 20-50% of patients develop post-thrombotic syndrome. Typical symptoms include a feeling of heaviness and tightness, swelling, itching, muscle cramps, and pain. Venous claudication ist the term for pain which presents when walking and that alleviates when elevating the leg or when standing still.

This can occur even if adequate anticoagulation treatment has been administered. It significantly impairs the patients’ quality of life.

Patients may exhibit findings such as phlebedema, venectasias, collateral veins, stasis eczema, hyperpigmentation, atrophy blanche, dermatofasciolipodystrophy, and/or an ulcus cruris. The goal of therapy for post-thrombotic syndrome (PTS) is to alleviate symptoms, as it is not curable. Compression therapy is typically the primary approach.