Deep vein thrombosis The diagnosis of a DVT in pregnancy is made using similar methods to those used in women who are not pregnant, but the d-dimer test is not so reliable. The d-dimer measures the breakdown products of blood clot. It is used to exclude a blood clot so people with a low level have a low risk of a blood clot. However the baseline level of the d-dimer in the … [Read more...]
Archives for March 2017
Clots in Pregnancy – Symptoms
In my previous post about DVT in pregnancy I looked at the incidence of clots in Pregnancy. DVT is relatively rare but serious and should not be missed. The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists guidelines quote that approximately 20% of DVTs can lead to a pulmonary emboli in pregnancy and these can be rapidly fatal. A suspected case of DVT should be … [Read more...]
Frivolous Friday – modern art and coagulation
I'd never visited Australia's capital city, Canberra, so when an opportunity arrived for a girl's weekend there, I was very excited. I arrived there with two of my daughters and my daughter-in-law for the hottest weekend on record. The temperature was 39 degrees, so we were very pleased to enter the air-conditioned National Gallery. It was a great way to spend a morning (as … [Read more...]
Children don’t need anticoagulants after surgery – why?
This week my son Isaac had surgery on his knee for a dislocated patella. Fortunately it all went well, but he will be in plaster for the next 5 weeks. Shouldn't he have anticoagulant prophylaxis to prevent a blood clot? In Adults knee surgery is associated with a high risk of thrombosis and many international guidelines suggest giving prophylaxis for several weeks after knee … [Read more...]
