DVT: The danger that lies beneath
As Greg Tait enjoyed an exhilarating 10,000 foot
descent from Glacier Point in Yosemite National Park,
something ominous was occurring beneath his skin's
surface. By the time he and his family arrived home in
South Jersey, his leg had swelled to twice its size, and
the pain was unbearable.
A blood clot had formed in a vein deep inside his leg,
creating a potentially life-threatening problem called
deep vein thrombosis or DVT. Unfortunately, what he
didn't know could have killed him.
Thomas Grabiak, MD, a vascular surgeon, and
a member of Virtua's Vascular Institute, explains:
"Greg had two very serious problems occurring at
once. He had a blood clot in his leg. If it broke free
and traveled to his lungs, it could have caused a fatal
pulmonary embolism. He also developed something
called 'compartment syndrome,' the result of a separate
calf muscle injury, which cut off blood flow to his leg
muscles." Amputation was a possibility.
"When I first saw Greg, he was in grave danger of
losing his leg or his life," Dr. Grabiak adds. "Blood
thinning medication dissolved the clot while we prepared
him for immediate surgery to avoid amputation."
A team of physicians, specialists, specially trained
nurses and technicians worked methodically during
a complex, two-hour surgery at Virtua to save Tait's leg
and his life. After the surgery, he began rehabilitation.
He says: "I was lucky to have a surgeon as talented as
Dr. Grabiak, along with a terrific team and a hospital
as advanced as Virtua. Without them, I could have
lost everything."
What lies beneath
"The statistics are frightening," says Kelley Young, RN.
"Each year 250,000 people in the United States
develop DVT." She adds it's important to understand
the difference between DVT and a far less serious
condition such as varicose veins.
The bulging blue leg veins, or varicose veins, we
can see are not where dangerous blood clots can
form. Young says: "These superficial varicose veins,
closest to the surface of the skin, cannot carry clots
to the lungs." The more problematic veins are the
deeper, non-visible veins where clots can form,
dislodge and travel to the lungs causing a potentially
fatal condition.
The best way to protect yourself against DVT is
to learn about risk factors and symptoms and if in
doubt, call a physician. DVT can be easily diagnosed
with a simple non-invasive test called an ultrasound.
Today, Tait watches his diet, exercises and enjoys
a healthy lifestyle with his family. "DVT almost took
my life," he says. "Thanks to Virtua, I'm living it."
Are you at risk for DVT?
See a list of
risk factors.