This article needs more reliable medical references for verification or relies too heavily on primary sources. (August 2020) |
Phlegmasia alba dolens | |
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Specialty | Vascular and Endovascular Surgery |
Phlegmasia alba dolens (also colloquially known as milk leg or white leg; not to be confused with phlegmasia cerulea dolens) is part of a spectrum of diseases related to deep vein thrombosis. Historically, it was commonly seen during pregnancy and in mothers who have just given birth. In cases of pregnancy, it is most often seen during the third trimester, resulting from a compression of the left common iliac vein against the pelvic rim by the enlarged uterus. Today, this disease is most commonly (40% of the time) related to some form of underlying malignancy. Hypercoagulability (a propensity to clot formation) is a well-known state that occurs in many cancer states. The incidence of this disease is not well reported.