A clinical trial found that minimally invasive endovascular therapy reduces symptoms of post-thrombotic syndrome after deep vein thrombosis.
RT’s Three Key Takeaways:
- Improved Patient Outcomes: A large clinical trial demonstrated that endovascular therapy significantly reduces the severity of post-thrombotic syndrome and improves quality of life compared to standard care alone.
- Endovascular Therapy Efficacy: The procedure uses stents and tubes to clear chronic blockages from old blood clots, addressing the underlying cause of a condition that affects up to 50% of deep vein thrombosis patients.
- Managed Safety Profile: While the intervention group experienced higher rates of bleeding due to required anti-clotting medications, most events were non-major and occurred more than 90 days after the procedure.
A major international clinical trial co-led by McMaster University found that a minimally invasive procedure significantly improves symptoms and quality of life for individuals with post-thrombotic syndrome (PTS), according to a news release.
The study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, evaluated endovascular therapy for patients living with the painful condition that often develops after deep vein thrombosis (DVT). PTS affects 20% to 50% of people who have had a DVT, which is a serious condition where a blood clot forms in a deep vein, causing chronic pain, swelling, heaviness, and mobility limitations.
“PTS can be life-altering, yet we’ve had very few effective treatment options,” said Sameer Parpia, senior author and data coordinating centre principal investigator of the study and an associate professor in the departments of oncology and health research methods, evidence, and impact at McMaster University, in a news release. “This trial provides clear evidence that targeted endovascular therapy can make a meaningful difference for patients living with this condition.”
The multicentre trial enrolled 225 patients with moderate-to-severe PTS and imaging-confirmed iliac vein obstruction. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either endovascular therapy plus standard care or standard care alone. Researchers found that those who received the procedure experienced less severe symptoms and better quality of life six months after treatment.
The procedure involves using small tubes and stents inside blood vessels to clear chronic blockages caused by old blood clots. Because the treatment requires additional anti-clotting medication, the trial found a higher rate of bleeding in the intervention group. However, most bleeding events were non-major and occurred more than 90 days after the procedure, rather than during or immediately after treatment.
“Our findings show that carefully performed endovascular therapy, supported by evidence-based medical management, can meaningfully reduce symptoms and improve daily functioning for patients with long-term blockages of important veins after a blood clot,” said Dr Suresh Vedantham, professor of radiology and of surgery at Washington University School of Medicine and national principal investigator of the clinical trial, in a news release.
The trial was funded by the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. The results were also presented at the Society of Interventional Radiology (SIR) 2026 Annual Scientific Meeting in Toronto. Researchers noted that existing treatments for PTS, such as compression stockings, often offer inconsistent relief and do not address the underlying cause of the disease.
