Superficial Thrombophlebitis in Emergency Medicine Follow-up

Author: Robert G Klever Jr, MD; Chief Editor: David FM Brown, MD more...

Updated: Sep 16, 2010

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Further Outpatient Care
Complications
Prognosis
Patient Education
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Further Outpatient Care

Patients should follow-up with their primary care physician or vascular surgeon in 2-3 days to ensure that the disease process is improving.

Complications

Complications of superficial thrombophlebitis may include the following:

Extension into deep venous system
Conversion to suppurative thrombophlebitis
- Septicemia
- Septic emboli
Persistence of nodule

Prognosis

The prognosis for superficial thrombophlebitis is generally good.

Patient Education

For excellent patient education resources, visit eMedicine's Circulatory Problems Center. Also, see eMedicine's patient education articles Varicose Veins, Blood Clot in the Legs, and Phlebitis.

Contributor Information and Disclosures

Author

Robert G Klever Jr, MD Resident Physician, Department of Emergency Medicine, Wayne State University School of Medicine Detroit Receiving Hospital

Robert G Klever Jr, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians, Emergency Medicine Residents Association, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Adam J Rosh, MD Assistant Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, Detroit Receiving Hospital, Wayne State University School of Medicine

Adam J Rosh, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Emergency Medicine, American College of Emergency Physicians, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Specialty Editor Board

Samuel M Keim, MD Associate Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Arizona College of Medicine

Samuel M Keim, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Emergency Medicine, American College of Emergency Physicians, American Medical Association, American Public Health Association, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD Adjunct Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy; Editor-in-Chief, Medscape Drug Reference

Disclosure: Medscape Salary Employment

Eddy S Lang, MDCM, CCFP(EM), CSPQ Associate Professor, Senior Researcher, Division of Emergency Medicine, Department of Family Medicine, University of Calgary Faculty of Medicine; Assistant Professor, Department of Family Medicine, McGill University Faculty of Medicine, Canada

Eddy S Lang, MDCM, CCFP(EM), CSPQ is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians, Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

John D Halamka, MD, MS Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center; Chief Information Officer, CareGroup Healthcare System and Harvard Medical School; Attending Physician, Division of Emergency Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

John D Halamka, MD, MS is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians, American Medical Informatics Association, Phi Beta Kappa, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

David FM Brown, MD Associate Professor, Division of Emergency Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Vice Chair, Department of Emergency Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital

David FM Brown, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Acknowledgments

The authors and editors of eMedicine gratefully acknowledge the contributions of previous authors, Craig F Feied, MD, and Jonathan A Handler, MD, to the development and writing of this article.

References

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Wichers IM, Di Nisio M, Buller HR, Middeldorp S. Treatment of superficial vein thrombosis to prevent deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism: a systematic review. Haematologica. May 2005;90(5):672-7. [Medline].
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Feied CF. Pulmonary chest pain, cor pulmonale and pulmonary embolism. In: Gibler, Aufderheide, eds. Emergency Cardiac Care. Vol 1. ed. Mosby-Year Book; 1994:243-303.
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Schonauer V, Kyrle PA, Weltermann A, et al. Superficial thrombophlebitis and risk for recurrent venous thromboembolism. J Vasc Surg. Apr 2003;37(4):834-8. [Medline].
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