Thrombectomy

Thrombectomy is a treatment to eliminate an acute blood clot in the leg (deep vein thrombosis-DVT) or lung (pulmonary embolism-PE). A blood clot that breaks loose and travels to the lungs can be fatal. Patients are hospitalized and given medication to thin the blood (thrombolysis) in an attempt to dissolve the clot. Thrombectomy can be mechanical or operative. A mechanical thrombectomy breaks up and removes the clot with a catheter inserted into the vein. In operative thrombectomy the clot is removed from the vein through surgical incisions in the leg and vessel. Operative thrombectomy usually is reserved for extreme clotting problems unable to be treated with medication or with mechanical thrombectomy. A simple ultrasound can diagnose DVT and effective treatment can almost eliminate the risk of fatal PE. The best treatment option is prevention by risk factor identification and increased awareness.

Whether you are looking for treatment for spider and varicose veins or a more complex vein problem, the UAB Vein Clinic offers comprehensive evaluation, specialized treatment, and compassionate care for the health of your veins.

As central Alabama’s premier comprehensive vein center, the UAB Vein Clinic provides state-of-the-art cosmetic, minimally invasive, and surgical treatments, performed by vascular specialists and medical experts who are specially trained in vein disease.

Located at UAB Hospital-Highlands, the clinic provides outpatient care, while more intensive treatments and vascular surgery are performed at UAB Hospital. The UAB Vein Clinic is part of the larger UAB Vein Program. As the only one of its kind in the state, the UAB Vein Program was created to care for a wide range of venous problems.

When you choose UAB Medicine to care for your vein condition, you gain immediate access to physicians and surgeons who are leaders in the most complex vascular conditions and offer the latest treatment options.

Vein Clinic
UAB Hospital-Highlands
1201 11th Avenue South
Birmingham, Alabama

Resources

• Patient Forms and Information
• Division of Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy
• YouTube: PBS – National Medical Reporter Video – Compression
• American Venous Forum
• Society for Vascular Surgery
• Healthy Veins
• Vascular Cures

Related Specialties

• Deep Vein Thrombosis
• Vascular Disease
• Vein Clinic