Phlebitis (cont.)

Medical Author:

Benjamin Wedro, MD, FACEP, FAAEM

Benjamin Wedro, MD, FACEP, FAAEM

Dr. Ben Wedro practices emergency medicine at Gundersen Clinic, a regional trauma center in La Crosse, Wisconsin. His background includes undergraduate and medical studies at the University of Alberta, a Family Practice internship at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario and residency training in Emergency Medicine at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center.

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Medical Editor:

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.

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Exams and Tests

The healthcare provider will examine the patient and ask questions about symptoms. Although blood tests do not help diagnose phlebitis, they may help with screening to prove that a blood clot is not present.

D-dimer is a chemical that is released by blood clots as they start to disintegrate. If this blood test is normal, then a blood clot is not present. Unfortunately, the test does not tell you the location where a blood clot might reside. For instance, it will be positive in people with a bruise or those who have undergone recent surgery.

Ultrasound can detect clots or blockage of blood flow, especially in larger, more proximal (upper leg) veins. A small hand-held instrument (probe) is pressed against the patient's skin to help identify blood clots and the location of the obstruction. This is a non-invasive test which is relatively painless.