What Is the Path of a Deep Vein Thrombosis?

Deep vein thrombosis is a condition characterized by the formation of blood clots in the larger veins of the thigh or lower leg. In some cases, DVT-related blood clots travel through blood vessels to other areas of the body.

The Facts

DVT can result from causes including sluggish blood flow, damage to a vein's inner lining and abnormal tendencies toward blood thickening or clotting, according to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute.

Detached Clots

In some individuals, blood clots caused by DVT break off and move in the bloodstream to areas of the body that may include the lungs, brain or heart, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Lack of blood supply caused by traveling clots can trigger severe damage in affected organs.

Pulmonary Embolism

A DVT-related clot that lodges in an artery in the lungs can trigger a potentially fatal condition called a pulmonary embolism, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Thigh Clots

The NHLBI notes that DVT-related clots in the thigh have a greater chance of detaching and triggering a pulmonary embolism than clots in the lower leg.

Considerations

While blood clots can also develop in more superficial veins, clots in these locations do not typically detach in the bloodstream, according to the NHLBI.

References

• National Heart Lung and Blood Institute: Deep Vein Thrombosis
• U.S. National Library of Medicine - National Institutes of Health: Deep Vein Thrombosis
• The Mayo Clinic: Deep Vein Thrombosis - Complications

Resources

• American Academy of Family Physicians: Deep Vein Thrombosis