How can the elderly prevent lower extremity venous thrombosis? What symptoms indicate lower extremity venous thrombosis?

During the ward rounds today, 65-year-old lung cancer patient Lao Zhang burst into tears in the ward. He was found to have blood clots in the deep veins of his lower limbs during preoperative examination, and the operation was forced to be postponed. Lao Zhang cried and said, "It's over. I heard that if there is a blood clot, I can no longer move, and I can't have surgery."

I said to Lao Zhang: "Lower limb venous thrombosis is not terrible. Don't worry, as long as you cooperate, it won't affect anything!"

After hearing my encouragement, Mr. Zhang was encouraged and cheered up again. In fact, many elderly people often find blood clots in their lower limb veins during physical examinations. So why do elderly people have frequent lower limb vein thrombosis? How can we prevent lower limb vein thrombosis in daily life?

Why do lower extremity venous thrombosis occur frequently in the elderly? The so-called lower extremity venous thrombosis refers to the appearance of solid masses in the blood vessels, and the main causes of the formation of solid masses are changes in blood flow velocity, hypercoagulable state of blood, and damage to blood vessels.

Changes in blood flow velocity

Slow blood flow is an important condition for venous thrombosis. The blood flow in the human limbs is relatively slow, especially in the elderly who are more prone to fractures. Long-term bed rest or sitting will slow down blood flow. In addition, varicose veins and other diseases can cause venous tortuosity, which further slows down blood flow and accelerates the formation of venous thrombosis.

Hypercoagulable state

When the blood is in a hypercoagulable state, the risk of suffering from venous thrombosis will increase significantly. For cancer patients, the blood is often rich in coagulation factors, which will cause the blood to be in a hypercoagulable state. For example, the old man Xia Boyu in "Endless Climbing" once had lymphoma, and Lao Zhang was diagnosed with lung cancer. Their venous thrombosis is not unrelated to their history of cancer.

In addition, some other diseases and even surgical trauma can also lead to a hypercoagulable state of the blood. Especially when the endothelium of the vein is damaged, it often causes the formation of venous thrombosis.

Damage to blood vessels

The endothelial cells of blood vessels have the functions of anticoagulation and antiplatelet aggregation. When blood vessels are damaged, a substance called collagen under the endothelium of the blood vessels is exposed, and the platelets with a sensitive "sense of smell" quickly aggregate to form blood clots. The so-called damage to blood vessels is also a major cause of venous thrombosis.

What are the symptoms of deep vein thrombosis in the lower extremities? We can compare the blood vessels in the human limbs to the irrigation channels in the village. The arteries are the water pipes entering the fields, and the veins are the water pipes flowing out of the fields.

When an artery is blocked, it is often a sign of water shortage. The dry field is analogous to the human body becoming cold, pale and painful.

When deep vein thrombosis occurs in the lower limbs, a large amount of water is retained in the fields due to obstruction of the irrigation outflow tract, causing the crops to be submerged. The manifestations in the human body are swelling of the lower limbs and increased skin temperature.

How to treat deep vein thrombosis in lower extremities? ●Medical methods

Medical treatment includes classic anticoagulation and thrombolysis. If timely medical treatment is sought, fresh blood clots may be dissolved, and anticoagulation can effectively prevent the formation of new blood clots.

Surgical procedures

In recent years, with the rapid development of medical technology, especially interventional technology, thrombectomy and interventional thrombectomy have become more and more common. In addition, for those with surgical indications or to prevent the thrombus from falling off again and causing serious consequences, the implantation of inferior vena cava filters has become more and more common. After the filter is placed in the inferior vena cava, even if the thrombus falls off, the filter will intercept it, thus avoiding the occurrence of serious complications.

How to prevent deep vein thrombosis in the lower limbs? Avoid sitting for long periods of time and keep your lower limbs active

Long-term bed rest and sitting for long periods of time will increase the probability of thrombosis. In daily life, it is recommended to get up and do appropriate activities every 30 minutes to avoid the formation of deep vein thrombosis in the lower limbs.

Early ambulation after surgery is key

As the ERAS concept (Enhanced Recovery After Surgery) has gained popularity, there is a consensus that patients are encouraged to move as soon as possible after surgery. For those who cannot get up in time, it is recommended to increase ankle pump exercises appropriately. The so-called ankle pump exercise is a simple process of curling and stretching the toes.

Varicose veins, treat them early

Many people who stand for long periods of time or do heavy physical labor are prone to varicose veins. The tortuous blood vessels slow down blood flow and increase the risk of deep vein thrombosis, so conservative or surgical intervention with elastic stockings should be used as early as possible.

Having said that, I think everyone should have a better understanding of deep vein thrombosis in the lower limbs, and will not be so afraid of thrombosis.