2004 Volume 15 Issue 5 Pages 365-369
Histopathological features about leg deep vein thrombosis(DVT) resulting in fatal pulmonary thromboembolism(PTE) are reviewed. Three characters of leg deep vein thrombosis are categorized as iliac, femoral, and crural type. Crural type is frequently found type of DVT with massive PTE. Among crural veins, soleal vein is especially important as a first occurrence site of DVT resulting in massive PTE. However, embolic source of large thromboemboli is free-float thrombi made at ilio-femoral veins as secondary thrombi made from primary thrombi in crural vein.
Peroneal vein and posterior tibial vein is also important site of thrombosis, because soleal vein thrombi grow through these drainage routes.
Once thrombosis occurs,a diameter of deep veins is at first dilated. Then it becomes retracted to normal diameter by organizing processes.
As venous valves are often destroyed during organizing processes, it is important not to cure DVT at early stage, but to prevent suffering from DVT.
