Claris Law Legal Blogging Community

Editor: Robert Blanchard
Profession: Attorney at Law

Category: Ortho Evra Medical Information

One of the problems we see with the Ortho Evra patch is Deep Vein Thrombosis, which is basically a blood cliot getting stuck in your veins. It can be a very serious condition, usually treated with blood thinning agents. The Society of Interventional Radiology (SIR) developed a position statement on the use of catheter-directed intrathrombus thrombolysis (CDT) for treatment of acute deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in the legs, which was published in the April issue of the Journal of Vascular & Interventional Radiology. Despite a lack of research studies, the authors suggest that CDT may benefit those who are otherwise healthy and at low risk of bleeding. Using imaging guidance, CDT involves delivery of a pharmacologic thrombolytic agent directly into the venous thrombus through an infusion catheter and/or wire embedded within the thrombosed vein. Based on available evidence, adjunctive CDT plus anticoagulant therapy is acceptable for initial treatment in many patients with acute iliofemoral DVT.

"SIR considers the use of CDT as an adjunct to anticoagulant therapy to represent an acceptable initial treatment strategy for carefully selected patients with acute iliofemoral DVT," write Suresh Vedantham, MD, from the Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis, Mo, and colleagues. "SIR defines acute iliofemoral DVT as complete or partial thrombosis of any part of the iliac vein and/or the common femoral vein with or without associated femoropopliteal DVT, in which symptoms have been present for 14 days or less or for which imaging studies indicate that venous thrombosis has occurred within the past 14 days. Any treatment for acute proximal DVT must be evaluated on its ability to achieve the following major goals: (a) prevention of pulmonary embolism (PE) and DVT propagation, (b) provision of early symptom relief, and (c) prevention of postthrombotic syndrome (PTS)."