Superficial Thrombophlebitis

Occasionally, blood can become trapped inside of a varicose vein causing it to clot. This is as a result of the ‘backwards flow’ phenomenon or reflux in venous disease such that blood can not empty effectively from the varicosed veins. This can lead to the development of a blood clot in the varicose vein, termed superficial phlebitis. While this is technically also a blood clot in the veins of the leg, similar to a DVT, these are not harmful to your health in that they do not break off and travel anywhere else in the body.

 Typical symptoms include: 

• Pain (often significant) under the skin
• A hard, painful ‘knot’ in a previous varicose vein
• Redness
• Swelling 

Superficial Phlebitis is often confused with cellulitis, which is an infection of the skin and deeper layers of the skin. This is due to the redness that is often elicited by the blood clot. Patients are often given antibiotics unnecessarily in this circumstance. The treatment of superficial phlebitis includes an ultrasound to determine the underlying cause and location of the reflux, followed by treatment of the root cause. The area of phlebitis is treated with over the counter pain relievers/anti-inflammatory medication, warm compresses, and leg elevation.