Phlebitis
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Clinic
- Phlebitis (or Venitis) is inflammation of a vein, usually in the legs.
- It most commonly occurs in superficial veins.
- Phlebitis often occurs in conjunction with thrombosis and is then called thrombophlebitis or superficial thrombophlebitis.
- Unlike deep vein thrombosis, the probability that superficial thrombophlebitis will cause a clot to break up and be transported in pieces to the lung is very low.
Signs / Symptoms
- Localized redness and swelling
- Pain or burning along the length of the vein
- Vein being hard and cord-like
- Tender red area along the superficial veins on the skin
- This area may feel hard, warm, and tender.
- The skin around the vein may be itchy and swollen.
- The area may begin to throb or burn.
- Symptoms may be worse when the leg is lowered, especially when first getting out of bed in the morning.
- A low-grade fever may occur.
- Sometimes phlebitis may occur where a peripheral intravenous line was started.
- The surrounding area may be sore and tender along the vein.
Cause
- Local trauma to a vein
- Connective tissue disorders such as lupus, or of pancreatic, breast, or ovarian cancers.
- Certain medications and drugs that irritate the veins, such as desomorphine.
- Superficial phlebitis often presents as an early sign in thromboangiitis obliterans (Buerger's disease), a vasculitis that affects small and medium-sized arteries and veins in distal extremities often associated with cigarette smoking.
Related disease