Suggest Treatment Blood Clot Near The Ribs

Posted on Thu, 19 Feb 2015

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Thu, 19 Feb 2015 Answered on

Wed, 18 Mar 2015 Last reviewed on

Question : My son is in the hospital with a blood clot near his ribs. He will be getting thrombolysis today to dissolve the clot and a venogram. The doctors are saying they may have to remove a rib. He is 29 years old and very healthy. How dangerous is this, and is it a long term worry?

Answered by Dr. S. Samanta (15 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
THIS IS NOT A THING FOR LONG-TERM WORRY!

Detailed Answer:
Dear Sir,

I personally feel sorry to learn your son's condition but in the same time I must tell you that thrombolysis by medications alone is generally sufficient in majority of such cases (>90%)!

Venogram will detect and evaluate the effect of the thrombolytic agents and if it is found that still the vein is thrombosed (in rest 10 % cases where the thrombus is 'organised', old enough more than 3 days or 'hard') then a surgical intervention could be needed to remove part of a rib to access the blocked vein !

This part could be repaired or just left as such as felt by the surgeon; might also bind the two ends with steel-wires etc but the procedure is safe and reflects insignificantly in future!

Hope you got the answer; please don't hesitate if any more doubt is there!

regards,

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj