What Is May-Thurner Syndrome?

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsEffectsCausesSymptomsDiagnosisTreatmentComplicationsSurgical RecoveryLife ExpectancyTipsWhen to Seek Emergency Care

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Effects

Causes

Symptoms

Diagnosis

Treatment

Complications

Surgical Recovery

Life Expectancy

Tips

When to Seek Emergency Care

May-Thurner syndrome is a mechanical problem of blood flow in the legs that can increase your chances of having ablood clot. This problem occurs when your rightiliac arterycompresses your left iliac vein. It is also called iliac vein compression syndrome or Cockett’s syndrome.

May-Thurner syndrome affects two blood vessels that travel to your legs. It causes pressure and abnormal blood flow. This can lead to severe results.

Since symptoms do not always occur with this syndrome, you can have it and not know it. Having May-Thurner syndrome raises your risk ofdeep vein thrombosis (DVT), a clotting problem that can become severe and threaten your life. Treatment is used when a blood clot occurs.

This article describes May-Thurner syndrome symptoms, causes, diagnosis, treatment, and outlook.

May-Thurner Syndrome

How Does May-Thurner Syndrome Affect the Body?

May-Thurner syndrome is a vascular compression disorder. It affects your arteries (blood vessels that carry oxygen-rich blood from your heart to other areas of your body) and veins (blood vessels that collect oxygen-poor blood and return it to your heart).

May-Thurner syndrome is caused when your right iliac artery compresses your left iliac vein. As this pressure increases, it prevents blood from flowing normally through your legs and back to your heart. It also increases your risk of DVT (a blood clot—thrombus—in a deep vein) at the site where your iliac vein is pinched.

May-Thurner syndrome is a progressive disease that develops through three stages:

What Causes May-Thurner Syndrome?

Having the following characteristics are risk factors for symptomatic May-Thurner syndrome:

May-Thurner Syndrome Symptoms

Early signs of May-Thurner syndrome can include symptoms of altered venous flow in your legs. These include the following characteristics, which typically occur in your left leg:

Many people don’t experience symptoms of May-Thurner syndrome until it results in a DVT. When DVT occurs, it is usually in your left leg and involves the following symptoms:

When to Seek Emergency Care for a Blood ClotWith May-Thurner syndrome, it is possible for a piece of a DVT to break off and travel to your lung, causing apulmonary embolism(blood clot in your lungs). This is a medical emergency. Seek immediate medical attention or call 911 if you have any of the following symptoms:Shortness of breath or difficulty breathingChest pain, especially when you are trying to take a breathRapid or racing heartbeatPassing out orfaintingCoughing up blood

When to Seek Emergency Care for a Blood Clot

With May-Thurner syndrome, it is possible for a piece of a DVT to break off and travel to your lung, causing apulmonary embolism(blood clot in your lungs). This is a medical emergency. Seek immediate medical attention or call 911 if you have any of the following symptoms:Shortness of breath or difficulty breathingChest pain, especially when you are trying to take a breathRapid or racing heartbeatPassing out orfaintingCoughing up blood

With May-Thurner syndrome, it is possible for a piece of a DVT to break off and travel to your lung, causing apulmonary embolism(blood clot in your lungs). This is a medical emergency. Seek immediate medical attention or call 911 if you have any of the following symptoms:

How Is May-Thurner Syndrome Diagnosed?

There are no standardized criteria for the diagnosis of May-Thurner syndrome. A diagnosis begins with a complete physical evaluation, including medical history and discussion of symptom duration and severity.

Based on the findings of your clinical examination, your healthcare provider may use one or more of the following May-Thurner syndrome radiology tests:

How Blood Clots Are Diagnosed

May-Thurner Syndrome Treatment

Treatment for May-Thurner syndrome focuses on keeping your veins open and preventing blood clots. Since there is no consensus or formalized guideline for the management of May-Thurner syndrome treatment, a wide range of options are used. Treatment for this syndrome includes the following:

When DVT occurs with May-Thurner syndrome, your healthcare provider may advise one of the following treatments:

Complications Associated With May-Thurner Syndrome

While many people do not have symptoms of May-Thurner syndrome, it is possible to develop complications that can become life-threatening. These complications include the following:

What Is Postsurgical Recovery Like?

Recovery from surgery for May-Thurner syndrome varies depending on the type of procedure performed and your overall condition.

Surgery is often performed on an outpatient basis. While your procedure may be performed in a hospital, it is likely that you will be discharged the same day to recover at home.

It is typical to be advised to rest for four to five days before returning to regular activities. Your progress and blood flow will be monitored with follow-up visits beginning about one week after your procedure, continuing at regular intervals for the first year after surgery. Treatment with blood thinners may be needed after surgery to prevent the recurrence of a blood clot.

Recovering From Surgery

May-Thurner Syndrome Life Expectancy

May-Thurner syndrome life expectancy can be normal for most people. In the majority of cases, the condition remains asymptomatic. Most people with May-Thurner syndrome live a long life and never know they have it. However, when May-Thurner syndrome causes DVT, it can quickly become a life-threatening event at any time.

Tips for Living With May-Thurner Syndrome

Living with May-Thurner syndrome involves making healthy choices to reduce your risk of DVT. The following can help keep venous circulation properly flowing:

If DVT breaks off and forms a clot in your lungs, you may notice the following symptoms that require immediate emergency care:

Summary

May-Thurner syndrome occurs when your right iliac artery exerts pressure on your left iliac vein. The effect raises your risk of deep vein thrombosis. This is a blood clot deep in your iliac vein that can threaten your life.

It becomes a problem more often in females between the ages of 20 and 40. While there is no known cause, those who have had pregnancies or long periods of inactivity have the highest risk.

While you can have this syndrome without symptoms, any sign of this disease should be checked promptly. Treatment of symptoms can reduce your risk of DVT.

13 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Kazi A, Akram A, Awan B, Borz-Baba C.May-Thurner syndrome: a suspicion that led to an incidental discovery.Cureus. 15(1):e33862. doi:10.7759/cureus.33862Brinegar KN, Sheth RA, Khademhosseini A, Bautista J, Oklu R.Iliac vein compression syndrome: clinical, imaging and pathologic findings.World J Radiol. 2015;7(11):375-381. doi:10.4329/wjr.v7.i11.375Liddell RP, Evans NS.May-Thurner syndrome.Vasc Med. 2018;23(5):493-496. doi:10.1177/1358863X18794276National Blood Clot Alliance.May-Thurner syndrome resources.UPMC.May-Thurner syndrome.Radaideh Q, Patel NM, Shammas NW.Iliac vein compression: epidemiology, diagnosis and treatment.VHRM. 2019;15:115-122. doi:10.2147/VHRM.S203349Knuttinen MG, Naidu S, Oklu R, et al.May-Thurner: diagnosis and endovascular management.Cardiovasc Diagn Ther. 2017;7(Suppl 3):S159-S164. doi:10.21037/cdt.2017.10.14Sigua-Arce P, Mando R, Spencer L, Halalau A.Treatment of May–Thurner’s syndrome and associated complications: a multicenter experience.Int J Gen Med. 2021;14:4705-4710. doi:10.2147/IJGM.S325231UPMC HealthBeat.May-Thurner syndrome: a hidden condition that can strike without warning.NorthShore University HealthSystem.May Thurner syndrome management.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.What is VTE?Northwell Health.What is May-Thurner syndrome?American Lung Association.What are the symptoms of pulmonary embolism?

13 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Kazi A, Akram A, Awan B, Borz-Baba C.May-Thurner syndrome: a suspicion that led to an incidental discovery.Cureus. 15(1):e33862. doi:10.7759/cureus.33862Brinegar KN, Sheth RA, Khademhosseini A, Bautista J, Oklu R.Iliac vein compression syndrome: clinical, imaging and pathologic findings.World J Radiol. 2015;7(11):375-381. doi:10.4329/wjr.v7.i11.375Liddell RP, Evans NS.May-Thurner syndrome.Vasc Med. 2018;23(5):493-496. doi:10.1177/1358863X18794276National Blood Clot Alliance.May-Thurner syndrome resources.UPMC.May-Thurner syndrome.Radaideh Q, Patel NM, Shammas NW.Iliac vein compression: epidemiology, diagnosis and treatment.VHRM. 2019;15:115-122. doi:10.2147/VHRM.S203349Knuttinen MG, Naidu S, Oklu R, et al.May-Thurner: diagnosis and endovascular management.Cardiovasc Diagn Ther. 2017;7(Suppl 3):S159-S164. doi:10.21037/cdt.2017.10.14Sigua-Arce P, Mando R, Spencer L, Halalau A.Treatment of May–Thurner’s syndrome and associated complications: a multicenter experience.Int J Gen Med. 2021;14:4705-4710. doi:10.2147/IJGM.S325231UPMC HealthBeat.May-Thurner syndrome: a hidden condition that can strike without warning.NorthShore University HealthSystem.May Thurner syndrome management.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.What is VTE?Northwell Health.What is May-Thurner syndrome?American Lung Association.What are the symptoms of pulmonary embolism?

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Kazi A, Akram A, Awan B, Borz-Baba C.May-Thurner syndrome: a suspicion that led to an incidental discovery.Cureus. 15(1):e33862. doi:10.7759/cureus.33862Brinegar KN, Sheth RA, Khademhosseini A, Bautista J, Oklu R.Iliac vein compression syndrome: clinical, imaging and pathologic findings.World J Radiol. 2015;7(11):375-381. doi:10.4329/wjr.v7.i11.375Liddell RP, Evans NS.May-Thurner syndrome.Vasc Med. 2018;23(5):493-496. doi:10.1177/1358863X18794276National Blood Clot Alliance.May-Thurner syndrome resources.UPMC.May-Thurner syndrome.Radaideh Q, Patel NM, Shammas NW.Iliac vein compression: epidemiology, diagnosis and treatment.VHRM. 2019;15:115-122. doi:10.2147/VHRM.S203349Knuttinen MG, Naidu S, Oklu R, et al.May-Thurner: diagnosis and endovascular management.Cardiovasc Diagn Ther. 2017;7(Suppl 3):S159-S164. doi:10.21037/cdt.2017.10.14Sigua-Arce P, Mando R, Spencer L, Halalau A.Treatment of May–Thurner’s syndrome and associated complications: a multicenter experience.Int J Gen Med. 2021;14:4705-4710. doi:10.2147/IJGM.S325231UPMC HealthBeat.May-Thurner syndrome: a hidden condition that can strike without warning.NorthShore University HealthSystem.May Thurner syndrome management.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.What is VTE?Northwell Health.What is May-Thurner syndrome?American Lung Association.What are the symptoms of pulmonary embolism?

Kazi A, Akram A, Awan B, Borz-Baba C.May-Thurner syndrome: a suspicion that led to an incidental discovery.Cureus. 15(1):e33862. doi:10.7759/cureus.33862

Brinegar KN, Sheth RA, Khademhosseini A, Bautista J, Oklu R.Iliac vein compression syndrome: clinical, imaging and pathologic findings.World J Radiol. 2015;7(11):375-381. doi:10.4329/wjr.v7.i11.375

Liddell RP, Evans NS.May-Thurner syndrome.Vasc Med. 2018;23(5):493-496. doi:10.1177/1358863X18794276

National Blood Clot Alliance.May-Thurner syndrome resources.

UPMC.May-Thurner syndrome.

Radaideh Q, Patel NM, Shammas NW.Iliac vein compression: epidemiology, diagnosis and treatment.VHRM. 2019;15:115-122. doi:10.2147/VHRM.S203349

Knuttinen MG, Naidu S, Oklu R, et al.May-Thurner: diagnosis and endovascular management.Cardiovasc Diagn Ther. 2017;7(Suppl 3):S159-S164. doi:10.21037/cdt.2017.10.14

Sigua-Arce P, Mando R, Spencer L, Halalau A.Treatment of May–Thurner’s syndrome and associated complications: a multicenter experience.Int J Gen Med. 2021;14:4705-4710. doi:10.2147/IJGM.S325231

UPMC HealthBeat.May-Thurner syndrome: a hidden condition that can strike without warning.

NorthShore University HealthSystem.May Thurner syndrome management.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.What is VTE?

Northwell Health.What is May-Thurner syndrome?

American Lung Association.What are the symptoms of pulmonary embolism?

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