Electronic letters to:

Review:
Dimitrios Scarvelis and Philip S. Wells
Diagnosis and treatment of deep-vein thrombosis
CMAJ 2006; 175: 1087-1092 [Abstract] [Full text] [PDF]
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Electronic letters published:

[Read eLetter] Low DVT suspicion and D-dimer Testing in the Family Physician Office
Pierre Juéry   (30 October 2006)
[Read eLetter] Diagnosis and treatment of deep-vein thrombosis
Ian Hammond   (30 October 2006)

Low DVT suspicion and D-dimer Testing in the Family Physician Office 30 October 2006
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Pierre Juéry
University of Ottawa

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Re: Low DVT suspicion and D-dimer Testing in the Family Physician Office

juery{at}videotron.ca Pierre Juéry

I read with interest the excellent review on DVT by Scarvelis and Wells. The diagnostic algorithm using D-dimer testing is usually well known and particularily relevant to Family Physicians. However, D-dimer is unavailable through private laboratories in the Ottawa area (except for one, but the 4 days turnover is unacceptable). The frustrating result is frequent and unnecessary referrals to the Emergency Room (with all the related costs) of patients with low or intermediate probability scores who could otherwise be managed by their Family Physician. When are we going to see a push to have D-dimer testing easily accessible as a "STAT" outpatient test in the community laboratories? Pierre Juéry MD, CCFP, FCFP Assistant Professor University of Ottawa

Conflict of Interest:

None declared
Diagnosis and treatment of deep-vein thrombosis 30 October 2006
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Ian Hammond
University of Ottawa

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Re: Diagnosis and treatment of deep-vein thrombosis

ihammond{at}ottawahospital.on.ca Ian Hammond

In Fig.1 of their comprehensive article, Scarvelis and Wells (1) use an unauthorized term for the major deep vein of the thigh. The name they employ, “superficial femoral vein”, is ambiguous and potentially dangerous. (2,3) At the Fourteenth World Congress of the International Union of Phlebology in 2001, the terminologia anatomica was revised. The vein originating from the popliteal vein and coursing superiorly toward the femoral canal is now known officially as the femoral vein. (4)

References

1. Scarvelis D, Wells PS. Diagnosis and treatment of deep-vein thrombosis. CMAJ 2006: 175(9): 1087-1092. 2. Bundens WP, Bergan JJ, Halasz NA, et al. The superficial femoral vein: a potentially lethal misnomer. JAMA 1995; 274:1296-1298. 3. Hammond I. The superficial femoral vein (letter). Radiology 2003; 229(2):604. 4. Caggiati A, Bergan JJ, Gloviczki P, et al. Nomenclature of the veins of the lower limbs: an international interdisciplinary consensus statement. J Vasc Surg 2002; 36: 416-422.

Conflict of Interest:

None declared