Phlebitis

Phlebitis
Veins in the popliteal area.
Classification and external resources
Specialty	Emergency medicine
ICD-10	I80
ICD-9-CM	451
DiseasesDB	13043
eMedicine	emerg/581 emerg/582 med/3201
MeSH	D010689

Phlebitis or venitis is the inflammation of a vein, usually in the legs. It most commonly occurs in superficial veins. Phlebitis often occurs in conjunction with thrombosis and is then called "thrombophlebitis" or "superficial thrombophlebitis". Unlike deep vein thrombosis, the probability that superficial thrombophlebitis will cause a clot to break up and be transported in pieces to the lung is very low.^[1]

Signs and symptoms

Localized redness and swelling
Pain or burning along the length of the vein
Vein being hard and cord-like^[2]

Cause

Phlebitis is typically caused by local trauma to a vein, usually from the insertion of an intravenous catheter.^[3] However, phlebitis can also occur due to a complication of connective tissue disorders such as lupus, or of pancreatic, breast, or ovarian cancers. Phlebitis can also result from certain medications and drugs that irritate the veins, such as desomorphine.^[4]

Superficial phlebitis often presents as an early sign in thromboangiitis obliterans (Buerger's disease), a vasculitis that affects small and medium-sized arteries and veins in distal extremities often associated with cigarette smoking.^[5]

Management

Treatment usually consists of NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen and local compression (e.g., by compression stockings or a compress).^[6] If the phlebitis is associated with local bacterial infection, antibiotics may be used.^[7]

For acute infusion superficial thrombophlebitis there is not enough evidence as of 2015 to determine treatment.^[8]

History

Phlebitis was first described by John Hunter in 1784.

Society and culture

The condition was detailed in The Dharma Bums and other writings by Beat author Jack Kerouac, who suffered from the disease possibly brought on by years of alcohol abuse.
In Henry Morton Robinson's best selling 1949 novel The Cardinal (later made into a motion picture by Otto Preminger), a severe case of phlebitis is a prominent plot device as sustained by the protagonist Stephen Fermoyle.
In the "Marcus Welby MD" Season 7, Episode 9, - A patient of Dr. Welby has to be admitted in the hospital for phlebitis. The episode is entitled: "The Strange Behavior of Paul Kelland"
In the Seinfeld episode "The Shower Head", Jerry's mother tells Jerry that his father's "Phlebitis is acting up."
In The Simpsons episode "Bart Gets an F", the school nurse believes Bart has phlebitis.
In All in the Family episode "Too Good Edith", Edith has phlebitis.
Peter Boyle's character on Everybody Loves Raymond suffers from phlebitis. Or at least it is used as an excuse for getting out of undesirable family functions.
In King Of The Hill, when Mr. Strickland took Bible study classes in the pool with Luanne, Hank noted that it was "good for his phlebitis".
In the M*A*S*H episode "The Young and the Restless", Colonel Potter suffers through a bout of phlebitis, aggravated by his initial refusal to acknowledge his condition.
In Futurama, Richard Nixon's head reminisces about his "good Republican body" that was "riddled with phlebitis."
In Knute Rockne, All American, Rockne suffers from phlebitis. His doctor orders bed rest and blames the condition on continuing rough hits at football practice: "You're not a young man, anymore, Knute. You're 42."
In the 2009 film Frost/Nixon, Richard Nixon is taken into the hospital having suffered an attack of phlebitis.
In the 2014 film The Drop, Marv's sister Dottie mentions that she suffers from phlebitis.

References

↑ http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/106/17/2170.full
↑ Benjamin Wedro. "Phlebitis Symptoms". emedicinehealth. Retrieved 13 May 2013.
↑ Benjamin Wedro. "Phlebitis Causes". emedicinehealth. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
↑ http://chealth.canoe.ca/condition_info_details.asp?disease_id=190
↑ http://www.uptodate.com/contents/superficial-thrombophlebitis-of-the-lower-extremity?source=search_result&search=superficial+nodular+phlebitis&selectedTitle=1~150
↑ Benjamin Wedro. "Phlebitis Treatment". emedicinehealth. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
↑ Benjamin Wedro. "Phlebitis Medical Treatment". emedicinehealth. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
↑ Di Nisio, M; Peinemann, F; Porreca, E; Rutjes, AW (20 November 2015). "Treatment for superficial infusion thrombophlebitis of the upper extremity.". The Cochrane database of systematic reviews 11: CD011015. PMID 26588711.

Additional references

Intravenous Infusion Therapy for Nurses (Second Edition) by Dianne L. Josephson (ISBN 1-4018-0935-9)
John Hunter, “Observations on the Inflammation of the Internal Coats of Veins,” Transactions of a Society for the Improvement of Medical and Chirurgical Knowledge, vol. 1 (London: 1793) pp. 18–29

External links

Phlebitis at MotherNature.com
eMedicine Health: Phlebitis provides an overview of phlebitis and its causes, symptoms, and treatment.

Arteries, arterioles
and capillaries

Inflammation

Arterial occlusive disease /
peripheral artery disease

Arteriosclerosis	Atherosclerosis Foam cell Fatty streak Atheroma Intermittent claudication Critical limb ischemia Monckeberg's arteriosclerosis Arteriolosclerosis Hyaline Hyperplastic Cholesterol LDL Oxycholesterol Trans fat

Stenosis	Carotid artery stenosis Renal artery stenosis

Other	Aortoiliac occlusive disease Degos disease Erythromelalgia Fibromuscular dysplasia Raynaud's phenomenon

Aneurysm / dissection /
pseudoaneurysm

Vascular malformation

Vascular nevus

Veins

Inflammation	Phlebitis

Venous thrombosis / Thrombophlebitis	primarily lower limb Deep vein thrombosis abdomen Hepatic veno-occlusive disease Budd–Chiari syndrome May–Thurner syndrome Portal vein thrombosis Renal vein thrombosis upper limb / torso Mondor's disease Paget–Schroetter disease head Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis Post-thrombotic syndrome

Varicose veins	Gastric varices Portacaval anastomosis Caput medusae Esophageal varices Hemorrhoid Varicocele

Other	Chronic venous insufficiency Chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency Superior vena cava syndrome Inferior vena cava syndrome Venous ulcer

Arteries or veins

Blood pressure

Hypertension	Hypertensive heart disease Hypertensive emergency Hypertensive nephropathy Essential hypertension Secondary hypertension Renovascular hypertension Benign hypertension Pulmonary hypertension Systolic hypertension White coat hypertension

Hypotension	Orthostatic hypotension

Inflammation

Acute

Plasma derived mediators

Cell derived mediators

preformed:	Lysosome granules biogenic amines Histamine Serotonin

synthesized on demand:	cytokines IFN-γ IL-8 TNF-α IL-1 eicosanoids Leukotriene B4 Prostaglandins Nitric oxide Kinins

Chronic

Processes

Traditional:	Rubor Calor Tumor Dolor (pain) Functio laesa

Modern:	Acute-phase reaction/Fever Vasodilation Increased vascular permeability Exudate Leukocyte extravasation Chemotaxis

Specific locations

mouth	Stomatitis Gingivitis Gingivostomatitis Glossitis Tonsillitis Sialadenitis/Parotitis Cheilitis Pulpitis Gnathitis

tract	Esophagitis Gastritis Gastroenteritis Enteritis Colitis Enterocolitis Duodenitis Ileitis Caecitis Appendicitis Proctitis

accessory	Hepatitis Ascending cholangitis Cholecystitis Pancreatitis Peritonitis

Integumentary

Musculoskeletal

Arthritis
Dermatomyositis
soft tissue
Osteochondritis: Osteitis/Osteomyelitis
- Spondylitis
- Periostitis
Chondritis

Urinary

Reproductive

female:	Oophoritis Salpingitis Endometritis Parametritis Cervicitis Vaginitis Vulvitis Mastitis

male:	Orchitis Epididymitis Prostatitis Seminal vesiculitis Balanitis Posthitis Balanoposthitis

pregnancy/newborn:	Chorioamnionitis Funisitis Omphalitis

Endocrine

Lymphatic

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Friday, February 26, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.