ABSTRACT
A middle aged man suffered a minor soft tissue injury to his left leg. This was investigated by an X-ray and treated with a bandage. Because of the tightness of the bandage, he returned to casualty five days later complaining of pain in the shin. Another X-ray of the shin bones was normal. He subsequently developed a superficial thrombophlebitis, which initially responded to his general practitioner’s treatment with butazolidin (an anti-inflammatory) and penbritin (antibiotics). However, he relapsed and these were stopped. He was referred to hospital, where a diagnosis of superficial thrombophlebitis affecting the long saphenous vein was made.
