Mee Offers a Simple Treatment to a Silent Killer

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April 20, 2007 (King City, CA) - As we all start to prepare for vacation season, physicians and surgeons at Mee Memorial Hospital are urging people to pay attention to their legs for signs of deep vein thrombosis, or DVT.  DVT is a blood clot (thrombus) that develops in a deep vein, usually in the lower leg, but it can occur elsewhere (such as the arm.) 

“People going on long car rides or plane trips, especially those with poor circulation in their legs, should be aware of DVT,” says general surgeon Gilbert Flores.  “It’s essential to move around every 90 minutes or two hours to stretch your legs whether you get up and walk around on a plane or stop at a rest stop along the road.”

Many physicians also recommend staying hydrated and possibly starting a low-dose aspirin regimen of 81 milligrams five days prior to traveling and continuing for two days after returning from the vacation destination.

Only about half of the people with DVT have symptoms, which may include:

• swollen area of the leg
• pain or tenderness in the leg that worsens when walking or standing
• increased warmth in the area of the leg that is swollen or in pain
• red or discolored skin

When blood clots outside a blood vessel, this is a normal process that protects the body against losing blood.  If the blood clots inside a blood vessel, however, this can be dangerous.  A pulmonary embolism can develop (a piece of the blood clot breaks off and travels in the bloodstream to become lodged in the lungs and blocks blood flow) – placing enormous stress on the heart and lungs.  This can happen hours or even days after the formation of a clot in the calf veins.  It may cause chest pain and shortness of breath.

Advice on preventing silent killer

A simple ultrasound by a skilled healthcare professional can determine whether a clot has formed within the deep veins.  The most common way to treat DVT is to put patients on anti-coagulant medication (preventing the blood from clotting). Treatment lasts from six weeks to three months, depending on the clot’s severity and size. 
It’s important to seek emergency medical treatment because a pulmonary embolism can be fatal.  DVT causes about 60,000 deaths a year.

“It’s especially crucial for people to know that Mee Memorial Hospital is here for the people of south Monterey County with excellent medical care on a 24/7 basis, especially with our digital imaging capabilities and our emergency services,” says Walt Beck, president and chief executive officer of Mee Health Systems, which includes Mee Memorial Hospital. 

In severe cases, doctors may opt to perform a venous thrombectomy, a surgical procedure to remove the clot from the vein.  This is done to prevent the clot from cutting off the blood supply to the muscle, which results in the death of the muscle (gangrene).
Those most at risk for DVT are people who are bedridden or immobile, have poor circulation in their legs, who are obese, have a history of heart attack, stroke or congestive heart failure, are pregnant, nursing, taking a contraceptive pill containing estrogen, are obese, or had recent surgery for an injury especially to the hips and knees.

Mee Memorial Hospital is a not-for-profit hospital and the anchor facility of Mee Health Systems, a network of healthcare centers, clinics and outreach programs throughout King City, Soledad, Greenfield and Paso Robles.  Its Mee Memorial Cancer Center will open in 2007 in Paso Robles.  Mee Health Systems is committed to the wellness of our community and providing access to comprehensive healthcare in a caring, professional and responsible environment.