en Surgery Surgery Original Research Original Research <p> <strong>Abstract</strong></p><p> <strong>Background:</strong> The optimal therapy of acute iliofemoral venous thrombosis is still a matter of debate. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the late results of iliofemoral thrombectomy with regard to the prevention of the development of a Post Thrombotic Syndrome (PTS).</p><p> <strong>Methods:</strong> During 2000-2003, 18 patients underwent transfemoral venous thrombectomy for acute iliofemoral venous thrombosis. 16 patients were reexamined after a 5-year follow-up. At follow-up, the patency of venous segments as well as the development of reflux was investigated by duplex-ultrasound. Furthermore, clinical signs and symptoms of PTS in patients were recorded.</p><p> <strong>Results:</strong> Clinical pulmonary emboli did not occur in the perioperative period. Two patients died because of disseminated metastatic cancer and another after massive retroperitoneal bleeding due to anticoagulation therapy. In a 5-year follow up, 31% had valvular reflux. Venous patency rate was 75%. The rate of PTS was 37.5% without the severe form of PTS. Patients did not have healed, healing, and/or active venous ulcer.</p><p> <strong>Conclusion: </strong>It is thought that vein patency and valvular function were relatively restored, and PTS was prevented after surgical thrombectomy. Vascular surgeons should include venous thrombectomy as a part of their routine operative armamentarium, offering this procedure to patients with iliofemoral DVT, especially if other options are not available or have failed.</p> DVT, iliofemoral thrombosis, venous thrombectomy, PTS, valvular reflux, vein patency 154 157 http://mjiri.iums.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-1-180&slc_lang=en&sid=1 M. Mozafar mohamad_mozafar@yahoo.com 20031947532846002190 20031947532846002190 Yes Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Shohada-e-TajrishMedical Center, Ghods Square, Tehran, Iran M. Talebianfar 20031947532846002191 20031947532846002191 No Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences and Health Services, Shohada-e-Tajrish Hospital,Tehran, Iran