What are the treatment options for MTS?
The primary goal of treatment is to reduce symptoms and reduce the risk of complications. Our vascular specialists will recommend the treatment option that is best for you. Before choosing any treatment, our MTS experts will discuss the potential benefits, risks and side effects with you.
- Observation: If your symptoms are mild and controlled with conservative measures, our specialists may recommend a period of observation and monitoring.
- Venography and stenting: If you have advanced symptoms, venography and intervention may be recommended. During the venography procedure, our specialists will get inside the affected vein via your groin and travel inside the vein with a very advanced camera placed inside the vein with real time images projected on a screen. If your vein is blocked by more than 50% and you have significant symptoms, they may recommend angioplasty and stenting to relieve the blockage and allow blood to flow freely out of the legs. During angioplasty, a small balloon at the tip of the catheter is inflated to stretch the vein. A stent is then placed during the angioplasty procedure to keep the vein open. The balloon is then deflated and removed, leaving the stent in place permanently. Sometimes a stent is needed on both sides to keep the veins from collapsing.
What if I have a DVT associated with MTS?
Once a DVT is diagnosed in association with MTS, our specialists will study your clinical symptoms and may recommend of the following:
1. Anticoagulation: A blood-thinning medication may be prescribed for a duration of 3-6 months to allow the clot to stabilize and get you passes the danger of having the blood clot travel to the lungs (PE). Once you have completed the anticoagulation treatment, our specialists may then advise you to have venography and, if MTS is present, to undergo stenting to avoid the DVT form reoccurring.
2. Catheter-directed thrombolytic therapy: if your DVT is extensive involving a long segment of the pelvic vein, our MTS specialists may offer you an invasive nonsurgical treatment that uses clot-dissolving medications, referred to as thrombolytics, to dissolve blood clots. The medications are delivered into the blood clot through a catheter. The “clot-busting” medication is slowly infused through the catheter into the clot which usually dissolves in a matter of hours to a few days. In some cases, the narrowed area of the vein will need to be treated with angioplasty to prevent further clots from forming. In some patients, if the clot is deemed unstable, an IVC filter may be needed to provide you with additional protection form a pulmonary embolism.
How effective is the treatment of MTS?
Following treatment, your symptoms are expected to improve significantly and gradually resolve with time. Even if a DVT is present, prompt diagnosis and treatment of MTS often leads to complete or near complete resolution of symptoms.
At South Charlotte General and Vascular Specialists, we are committed to providing you with the best care and best outcomes possible. You will receive specific guidelines to help you prepare for your procedure, as well as detailed instructions to help during your recovery.
Please call us to or make an appointment online with one of our MTS specialists.
