Endovascular Treatment of Deep Vein Thrombosis

Venous thromboembolic disease (VTE), which includes deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE), is a major health problem in the United States and worldwide. Lower extremity DVT is a serious medical condition with short- and long-term complications that can result in major disability as a result of pulmonary embolism, postthrombotic syndrome, paradoxical embolization, and/or limb amputation. Although anticoagulation is the mainstay, first-line treatment, the last two decades have seen increased use of catheterbased methods to treat acute deep venous thrombosis. The purpose of this chapter is to highlight the rationale, safety profile, evidence, and clinical outcomes that are achieved utilizing endovascular methods for the treatment of acute DVT.