Scenario 4: Deep Venous Thrombosis (DVT)
A 81-year-old obese female patient who 48 hours post-op left total hip replacement. The patient has had severe nausea and vomiting and has been unable to go to physical therapy. Her mucus membranes are dry. The patient says the skin on her left leg is too tight. Exam reveals a swollen, tense, and red colored calf. The patient has a duplex ultrasound which reveals the presence of a deep venous thrombosis (DVT).
Question:
The patient’s DVT was caused by venous stasis, activation of the coagulation pathway, and vein damage. The patient was at risk of developing a thrombus due to being obese. The patient likely developed Venous stasis following vein damage during the total hip replacement. Immobility of the left leg following surgery and failure to attend physical therapy caused venous stasis contributing to DVT (Chindamo & Marques, 2019). The venous stasis caused an increased viscosity resulting in the formation of microthrombi, which are not cleared by fluid movement when there is high blood viscosity. This resulted in the formation of a blood clot from the microthrombi, which interrupted blood flow in the vein.