What Is a DVT? Deep Vein Thrombosis Explained (Day 3/31)

What Is a DVT? Deep Vein Thrombosis Explained (Day 3/31)

A deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a blood clot that forms in a deep vein, most commonly in the leg. The deep veins are responsible for carrying blood back toward the heart, so when a clot forms it can block normal blood flow and lead to leg swelling, pain, warmth, or redness. Sometimes symptoms can be mild — which is why DVT can be missed.

The major concern with DVT is pulmonary embolism (PE). If part of the clot breaks off, it can travel through the bloodstream to the lungs and cause a PE. This can be life-threatening and may present as chest pain, shortness of breath, or sudden collapse.

DVT can also cause serious problems in the leg itself. In severe cases, extensive clot burden can block most venous drainage from the limb, leading to phlegmasia — a surgical emergency with severe swelling, pain, and threatened limb viability.

Even after treatment, some patients develop post-thrombotic syndrome, a long-term complication that can cause chronic leg swelling, heaviness, skin changes, and venous ulcers.