Understanding DVT Prevention

Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) is a condition in which a blood clot forms inside a deep vein. The blood clot either partially or completely blocks the flow of blood in the vein. DVT occurs mainly in the lower extremities. DVT is a serious medical condition that can cause swelling, pain, and tenderness in your leg.

DVT is a leading cause of death worldwide that is a preventable global health condition. In Europe and the U.S., DVT is claiming more lives than AIDS, breast and prostate cancer, and motor vehicle crashes combined. Intermittent pneumatic compression therapy is a non-invasive treatment to help prevent DVT.

COVID 19 Complications with DVT

DVT is being found more and more in patients who have had COVID 19 or who have had the vaccine for COVID 19.  One of the newest issues with DVT is with patients in these cases that are in high altitudes such as airplanes.  Everyone should be concerned about this.

Aside from the pain and discomfort:

• The clot, or thrombus, can come loose and travel through the body into the lungs.
• This is called a pulmonary embolism (PE) which is a serious, life-threatening condition.
• Pulmonary embolism is lethal to most victims and leads to death within one or two hours.

Who is at Risk of DVT?

There are approximately 10 million cases of VTE (DVT and PE) worldwide every year. In the U.S. alone, there are 600,000 cases of VTE and 100,000 deaths resulted from PE per year. In addition, life expectancy declines 3.8 years after a DVT.

There are many factors that increase a person’s risk to getting DVT which requires DVT prevention devices. Conditions that can increase your chance of getting a DVT include:

• All patients that have had COVID 19
• All patients that have had the COVID 19 vaccine.
• Orthopedic surgery: up to 80% of patients will develop DVT, 10-20% will develop PE. Since you cannot predict which patients will develop DVT/PE, you should make DVT therapy available to all patients.
• Recent surgery that decreases your mobility and increases inflammation in the body (Ortho, Spine, Neuro, Gyn, GI)
• Medical conditions that limit your mobility, such as an injury or stroke
• Inheriting a blood-clotting disorder
• Prolonged bed rest
• Overweight or obese
• Smoking
• Older age
• Sitting for long periods of time (traveling), which limit your mobility
• Injury to a deep vein
• Cancer treatment

Innovative Pre-emptive Care with the Plasma Flow portable

There are portable DVT compression therapy pumps that offer patients a non-pharmacological DVT prevention method while reducing limitations on their daily lives.

• Aids in preventing DVT by increasing blood circulation
• Diminishes post-operative pain and swelling
• Reduces wound healing time
• Decreases venous pressure in their extremities
• Aids in the treatment of stasis dermatitis, venous stasis ulcers, arterial and diabetic leg ulcers, chronic venous insufficiency, and reduction of edema in lower limbs