Diagnosed with Deep Vein Thrombosis of arm.

This is just an uneducated guess, but a vascular surgeon might be able to help if it can be resected. Hematologist for blood disorders. That's about all I can suggest.....sorry.

Your primary physician will answer your question. I have had 3 DVTs, all in my right leg. They all dissolved on their own, without complications. I pray that yours does also.

Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect, @martha26 An ER diagnosis of Going deep vein thrombosis in your IV site from a recent surgery is a lot to deal with. It is understandable that you are scared.

Here is what Mayo Clinic provides as information if you haven’t had a chance to review it. Particularly, there is a section on Prevention that may be helpful if you didn’t bring instructions home from the ER.
- Mayo Clinic Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) Overview https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/deep-vein-thrombosis/symptoms-causes/syc-20352557

You also stated you have Post Operative Urinary Retention. Are you taking medications that may be the cause, or did they have other thoughts while you were at the ER?

Do you plan to call your Primary Care Doctor? How are you currently feeling, and do you have family or a friend you can talk to?

@martha26

After hip surgery I developed a DVT in my other leg and ended up with a pulmonary embolism and a week long hospitalization. As the vascular surgeon told me. “If one part of the embolism breaks off, it will go to your brain and you will have a stroke. If another part breaks off, it will go to your heart and you will have a heart attack.” Thank God, the clot dissolved and I’m still on this earth 5 years later. However I understand that the DVT likely damaged that vein and so I will have long term issues with that leg. I regularly see that vascular surgeon for ultrasound checkups and continue a low dose of Eliquis.

My Primary has set up appointments for a repeat vascular ultrasound and meeting with a Hematologist next week. I had a complex urogynacological surgery in Jan. resulting in the Post Operative Urinary retention and now upper extremity clot. I was worried about peeing—and now worrying about dying. Alternate between fear and feeling numb. Numb is better.

@martha26

Although DVT’s are a known complication of modern surgeries, it never occurred to me that I would develop one. But that day in the hospital, listening to the vascular surgeon spell out the possibilities, scared me into diligently following his instructions and taking the recommended medicine. Best wishes to you and take care going forward. You will get through this.

Thank for your encouragement. But I don’t even know if I’m seeing the right kind of doctor.

@martha26

Maybe the hematologist is because the primary care doctor is considering the possibility of an abnormal blood clot mechanism. There might be something in the bloodwork or the medicine you are taking for other reasons that may indicate this? I am not a medical professional, but I might ask the question.

In my case, the vascular surgeon was called in because the blood clot had already migrated from my leg to my lung and someone thought that if it kept moving, they would try to remove it by some surgical procedure, which the vascular surgeon described but I was too panicky to remember now.

I would strongly encourage you to see a vascular surgeon in addition to the hematologist. I had a blood clot in my jugular vein as a result of scaring caused by chemo received to treat breast cancer.

@splendrous

I agree. I understand that if a DVT has occurred, the vein in which it formed has been damaged and a vascular surgeon should be consulted and may guide further treatment.