Question

Two days after undergoing a total abdominal hysterectomy, a client complains of left calf pain. Venography reveals deep vein thrombosis (DVT). When assessing this client, the nurse is likely to detect:

a) pallor and coolness of the left foot.
b) a decrease in the left pedal pulse.
c) loss of hair on the lower portion of the left leg.
d) left calf circumference 1" (2.5 cm) larger than the right.

Answer 1

In a client with deep vein thrombosis (DVT), the most likely finding upon assessment would be an increase in circumference of the affected calf, specifically, the left calf being 1" (2.5 cm) larger than the right due to the swelling from the body's response to the blood clot.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question pertains to the assessment of a client with deep vein thrombosis (DVT) following a surgical procedure. When assessing a client with DVT, especially after a report of calf pain, a nurse is likely to find certain clinical signs which can help in the diagnosis. The presence of DVT typically leads to local inflammation and swelling due to the obstruction of venous blood flow and the body's response to the blood clot.

Of the options provided, the most likely clinical finding in a client with DVT in the left calf would be: d) left calf circumference 1" (2.5 cm) larger than the right. This is due to edema associated with the inflammatory response that the body mounts to the presence of the clot, leading to an increase in the affected leg's volume compared to the other, unaffected leg.

While pallor and coolness could be present if there is significant arterial involvement, decreased pedal pulses are more associated with arterial disease, and hair loss on the lower extremities is a long-term change often observed in peripheral arterial disease (PAD) rather than acute DVT. Therefore, the other options are less likely to be directly associated with an acute presentation of DVT.