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May-Thurner Syndrome Specialist

Northeast Houston Vein Center

Vein & Vascular & Certified Cosmetic Laser Technician located in Memorial Hermann Medical Plaza 3 in Humble, TX & Northeast Houston, TX

May-Thurner Syndrome may not cause any symptoms until you suddenly experience leg pain and redness because a blood clot developed. At Northeast Houston Vein Center in Humble, Texas, Madaiah Revana, MD, FACC, specializes in diagnosing and treating May-Thurner Syndrome and its complications, such as deep vein thrombosis and venous insufficiency. If you need help for leg symptoms, call the office or use the online booking feature to schedule an appointment today.

May-Thurner Syndrome Q & A

What is May-Thurner Syndrome?

May-Thurner Syndrome, also called iliac vein compression syndrome, occurs when the iliac vein serving your left leg is compressed by the iliac artery.

The iliac arteries carry oxygen-rich blood from your heart to your pelvic region and legs. The iliac veins do the opposite. They carry deoxygenated blood from your legs and pelvic area back to your heart.

When the iliac vein is compressed, blood flow slows down. Sluggish blood flow puts you at risk for the primary complication of May-Thurner Syndrome: deep vein thrombosis.

May-Thurner Syndrome may also cause vein disease such as venous insufficiency, which leads to blood pooling in the vein. The syndrome can also result in nonthrombotic iliac vein lesions (NIVL) that can affect the right and left iliac veins.

What symptoms develop if I have May-Thurner Syndrome?

May-Thurner Syndrome often causes problems such as:

  • Pain when the leg hangs down over the side of a chair or bed
  • Significant swelling of the whole leg
  • Leg or thigh pain when walking (that improves when you rest)
  • Discolored skin
  • Skin rashes
  • Varicose veins
  • Slow-healing venous ulcers

You should also be aware of the symptoms of deep vein thrombosis, which is a blood clot in the vein. This condition causes leg tenderness or pain that may feel like a cramp, along with swelling and red or purple skin. Your leg may also feel warm to the touch.

Deep vein thrombosis needs immediate treatment because it poses a serious health threat. If the clot breaks away, it travels through your bloodstream. Then it can get stuck in other arteries, resulting in a potentially deadly heart attack, stroke, or pulmonary embolism.

How is May-Thurner Syndrome treated?

After performing a duplex ultrasound to view your blood vessels, Dr. Revana determines the best treatment based on your diagnosis and the severity of your symptoms.

If you have deep vein thrombosis, your treatment begins with medication to dissolve the clot. Clot-busting medications are given intravenously or using a catheter that Dr. Revana guides through a vein to the clot. You will also need anticoagulants to thin your blood and prevent future clots.

Treatment for May-Thurner Syndrome may include compression stockings to improve circulation in your leg or an endovenous treatment such as angioplasty and stenting. Angioplasty reopens the vein, while implanting a stent keeps the vein open and maintains normal blood flow. 

If you develop leg swelling or pain, call Northeast Houston Vein Center or schedule an appointment online today.

 

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