[False diagnosis of acute phlebothrombosis].

The authors present three clinical cases in which the initial diagnosis of acute phlebothrombosis has been made with its therapeutic corollary of anticoagulant medication. In the first case, there was a known tumour in the popliteal region. In the other two cases, the tumour was only recognized later. In all three cases, it was later found, by stereophlebography, that the deep venous system was intact. The authors consider that the institution of anticoagulant treatment resulting from this diagnostic error can not be regarded as a mistake since this attitude does lead to the avoidance of potentially fatal pulmonary embolisms or an acute venous thrombosis which may have already given rise to the chronic situation of post-phlebitic syndrome.