The use of ultrasound waves for deep vein thrombosis (DVT) may help dissolve blood clots in less time than using clot-busting drugs alone, according to researchers at Emory University. The study will be presented Sunday, Nov. 23, 2008 at the annual VEITHsymposium in New York City.

Statins, the class of drugs commonly used for lowering cholesterol, are now showing promise at preventing deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or blood clots, an affliction that occurs in nearly 2 million Americans each year.

Engineers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have developed a prosthetic vein valve to help improve the lives of those suffering from a condition known as chronic venous insufficiency.

A novel treatment for blood clots in the legs appears to be safe and effective, according to a pilot study published in the February issue of Radiology. The study found that injecting or “lacing” the clot with a fiber-binding thrombolytic agent effectively treats deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and reduces the risk of subsequent recurrence or bleeding.

Among the 118 patients with portal vein thrombosis, noncirrhotic and nontumoral extrahepatic portal vein obstruction are young and present with well tolerated bleed. Cirrhosis and tumor related portal vein thrombosis patients are older and have grim prognoses. Hypercoagulable state as a cause of portal vein thrombosis is less common.

Venous thrombosis (VTE), the formation of blood clots in a vein, is a major health problem for hospitalized patients in the United States. In the short term, VTE can lead to deep vein thrombosis (DVT), typically in the legs, and pulmonary embolism (PE), which occurs when a piece of the blood clot migrates into an artery of the lungs.