Mj. Drescher et Aj. Smally, THROMBOPHLEBITIS AND PSEUDOTHROMBOPHLEBITIS IN THE ED, The American journal of emergency medicine, 15(7), 1997, pp. 683-685
The patient presenting to the emergency department (ED) with a painful
swollen lower extremity is considered to have deep venous thrombosis
(DVT) until this diagnosis can be ruled out. This clinical presentatio
n, however, is far from specific and the differential diagnosis includ
es symptomatic Baker's cyst, also known as pseudothrombophlebitis synd
rome (PTP), This article presents two cases of PTP and reviews the lit
erature relevant to diagnosis of DVT and PTP, Ultrasonography is now t
he diagnostic test of choice for both DVT and PTP, being safe, accurat
e, noninvasive, and rapid, and should ideally be available for use in
the ED. Copyright (C) 1997 by W.B. Saunders Company.