Successful catheter-directed venous thrombolysis in an ankylosing spondylitis patient with phlegmasia cerulea dolens

Interventional Therapy for Upper Extremity Phlegmasia Cerulea Dolens in a Patient With Heparin-Induced Thrombocytopenia: A Case Report

This article presents a case of a multimorbid 63-year-old woman with chronic kidney disease and heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT). Following the insertion of a central venous catheter, she developed phlegmasia cerulea dolens (PCD) in her left arm, a rare and severe complication of deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Given the severity of the case, adapting to anticoagulant contraindications or unavailability, management with catheter-directed thrombolysis and mechanical thrombectomy was made. It is concluded that catheter-directed thrombolysis and mechanical thrombectomy are valuable therapeutic alternatives in critical situations where treatment options are limited.

Pacemaker-associated Phlegmasia Cerulea Dolens Treated with Catheter-directed Thrombolysis

Phlegmasia cerulea dolens (PCD) is a rare and severe form of deep venous thrombosis that is classically associated with the lower extremities. We report a case of upper extremity PCD developing abruptly in a 37-year-old female with an indwelling cardiac pacemaker who presented to the emergency department complaining of pain and paresthesias in her left arm, adjoining left chest wall, and inferior neck. Her condition was promptly diagnosed and successfully treated with intravenous unfractionated heparin and balloon venoplasty with catheter-directed thrombolysis without any known residual signs or symptoms at hospital discharge.

How to start interventional radiology

Interventional techniques aim to find safer and better ways to treat vascular diseases even in many instances, the interventional radiology solutions has been considered the only treatment option for the patients. Interventional radiologists are specialists who perform minimally invasive procedures instead of surgery or other treatments. These procedures apply various imaging and catheterization procedures in order to diagnose and treat diseases. In each country, interventional radiology practice establishment of varies according to local factors, but following a standard strategy seems better to set up this facility. According to above mentioned points, we decided to establish this specialty in our hospital since 2001 as the pioneer center in Iran. In this presentation we will discuss about our experience for start interventional radiology.