ABSTRACT
Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a term used to describe thromboses that may occur in any vein as well as the emboli that result when one of these thrombi breaks off and migrates to other areas in the systemic venous network, most notably the pulmonary circulation. When the veins involved are superficial, the resultant superficial phlebitis may be painful, but is of minor consequence. When the affected veins are located in the deep system, the phenomenon is termed deep venous thrombosis (DVT), which has more serious implications than its superficial counterpart.
