Is bilateral ultrasound scanning of the legs necessary for patients with unilateral symptoms of deep vein thrombosis?

Citation
Nd. Garcia et al., Is bilateral ultrasound scanning of the legs necessary for patients with unilateral symptoms of deep vein thrombosis?, J VASC SURG, 34(5), 2001, pp. 792-796
Citations number
19
Categorie Soggetti
Cardiovascular & Respiratory Systems","Cardiovascular & Hematology Research
Journal title
JOURNAL OF VASCULAR SURGERY
ISSN journal
07415214 → ACNP
Volume
34
Issue
5
Year of publication
2001
Pages
792 - 796
Database
ISI
SICI code
0741-5214(200111)34:5<792:IBUSOT>2.0.ZU;2-7
Abstract
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the necessity of bilate ral lower-extremity venous duplex ultrasound scanning in patients with unil ateral symptoms of deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Patients and Methods: A retrospective review of 1080 bilateral venous duple x scans was performed. Patients were randomly selected from a total of 7922 studied between May 1998 and May 2000. Data on patient age, sex, comorbidi ty, and the reason for ultrasound scan were compiled. Forty percent (435/10 80) of patients presented with unilateral symptoms of lower-extremity DVT. This group was further analyzed according to their status as inpatients or outpatients. Results. DVT was diagnosed in 26.9% (117/435) of the patients. Of the inpat ients found to have DVT, the thrombus was confined to the symptomatic leg i n 23.8% (38/159), thrombus was present just in the asymptomatic leg in 8/15 9 (5.0%), and thrombus was found in both legs in 8/159 (5.0%). In the outpa tient group, thrombus was confined to the symptomatic leg in 21.0% (58/276) and found in both legs in 1.8% (5/276). None of the 276 outpatients had DV T isolated in the asymptomatic leg. Conclusion: Routine bilateral lower-extremity venous duplex studies are not necessary in outpatients presenting with unilateral symptoms. In many outp atients, a single-limb study will suffice. If a patient is found to have a DVT on the symptomatic side, then we believe that a bilateral study is indi cated. We do believe that routine bilateral scanning of inpatients remains justified. This algorithm may save technician time and increase vascular la boratory efficiency.