**1. Introduction**

98 Deep Vein Thrombosis

intrathrombus thrombolysis. J vasc Interven Rad. 2004; 20 (Suppl 7):332-335. Wells PS, Hirsh J, Anderson DR, Lensing AW, Foster G, Kearon C, Weitz J, D'Ovidio R,

deep venous thrombosis. Lancet. 1995; 345: 1315-1380.

acute iliofemoral deep vein thrombosis with use of adjunctive catheter directed

Cogo A, Prandoni P, Girolami A & Jinsberg A. Accuracy of clinical assessment of

This chapter addresses a new and emerging aspect of health in developing countries—one that poses a serious and growing burden on individuals, health systems, and economies of poor countries but is largely preventable. Deep Vein thrombosis (DVT) is a major medical, social and economic problem in developed countries, but in developing countries scanty information is available. Blood clots such as thrombus in a deep vein in the lower limb is the most serious unexpected killer of hospitalized patients in developed countries and over the years this has led to elaboration of numerous strategies directed towards reducing the risks of formation of such thrombi and treating them when they occur. This area has been covered extensively in the literature emerging from developed countries, and little is known about the pattern and scale of problem in developing countries.

Another area that will be covered in this chapter relates to hypercoagulation in chronic liver disease which is poorly understood till recently. Because of the relatively uncommon occurrence of overt clinical thrombosis in patients with liver disease, and the complexity of the haemostatic mechanism, in addition to the fact that clinicians often perceive that these patients are at a reduced risk for venous thromboembolism, DVT in liver disease is an understudied problem. In this chapter, we aim to discuss DVT from two aspects; DVT in liver disease, and DVT in developing countries.
