Controbersies in Phelbology:
Calf Vein Thrombosis - To Treat or To Ignore: What is the Evidence?

Expert Panel Debate
Panel Members have 15 minutes each to answer these  questions: (based on a survey by Dr Simon McRae)

1. How do you define calf vein thrombosis?
2. Do you use d-dimer +/-  clinical prediction rule? If yes, to confirm the diagnosis or to exclude calf vein thrombosis? 
3. Do you use ultrasound or venography to diagnose calf vein thrombosis?
4. How sensitive is ultrasound in the diagnosis of calf vein thrombosis?
5. When doing a DVT ultrasoundstudies, do you scan all deep veins or proximal deep veins only?
6. What is your standard initial management of isolated calf vein thrombosis?
7. If you use anticoagulant therapy as routine initial treatment of isolated calf vein thombosis, which anticoagulant do you use?
8. Do you routinely repeat a venous ultrasound prior to ceasing anticoagulation therapy?
9. How long do you treat patients with isolated calf vein thrombosis with anticoagulants for?
   A- Major provoking factor- surgery, major trauma, inpatient admission for serious illness
   B- Minor provoking factor- prolonged travel, OCP, pregnancy, minor trauma.
   C- Unprovoked
10. Do you routinely perform laboratory tests for thrombophilia in patients with calf vein DVT and
    A- Major provoking factor
    B- Minor provoking factor
    C- Unprovoked
11. How long do you follow-up your patients and how do you do it (clinical/ultrasound/d-dimer/other)?
12. How common is deep vein incompetence post calf vein thrombosis?
13. How common is chronic venous hypertension post calf vein thrombosis and is it important to treat?