What is the treatment for phlebitis?

Depends on area: Superficial phlebitis is treated with heat, anti-inflammatory agents, and tincture of time. Sometimes when infected, surgical excision is required. It is good practice to follow a patient with superficial phlebitis of the leg with repeat ultrasound. Deep venous thrombophlebitis is treated with anticoagulation, initially with heparin, lmwh, converting to coumadin (warfarin).

Treating phlebitis: Phlebitis is an inflamed vein. These can usually be treated with anti-inflammatory medicine, compression, and ice and/or heat. The problem is that the inflammation is often caused by a thrombus (clot) and the only way to know that a clot is present or not is to have an ultrasound. Although treatment might not change with a clot present, a different treatment is possible, as dr. Isobe said.

Phlebitis: If it is superficial usually local care is adequate unless the clot is close to the deep system Deep system clots are treated with anticoagulation therapy to prevent possible pulmonary embolism All is decided by doing a venous Doppler sonogram

Anticoagulation: Interesting question because just had a patient who developed phlebitis two-weeks after a knee fracture. Her internist and i had a long discussion of whether to anticoagulant or do but in the end, she was admitted and started on oral anti-coagulation medications. In general the starting treatment will be ant-coagulation.

Phlebitis?: The first consideration in phlebitis(inflammed vein, superficial) is which vein and where. A duplex ultrasound is essential. Next, what is patient status, ambulatory, sedentary, postoperative? Conservatively, compression, walking, anti- imflammatory rx is prescribed. Bear in mind, a small percentage could have a silent deep vein clot as well. In some cases, anticoagulants are given.