Ways to avoid a thrombosis
'Economy Class Syndrome' is a term given to a rare complication after a long haul flight. It involves a person developing a blood clot in a deep vein (known as a 'thrombosis') usually in the calf of their leg or back of their thigh. The medical term for this is 'deep vein thrombosis' (or 'DVT').
It is possible for a thrombosis to develop when a person is immobile for a prolonged period of time, causing the blood flow through the deep veins of the legs to slow to the point that a small blood clot develops. In most cases, the person's own body will spontaneously dissolve the clot once the person starts to move again. However, occasionally the blood clot will not dissolve and is then capable of dislodging (called an 'embolus'). The dislodged clot can move through the person's blood stream, blocking a smaller blood vessel in the heart, lungs or brain. This is a life-threatening complication.
Even though the development of a thrombosis after a long haul flight is referred to as 'economy class syndrome' a thrombosis can also develop in people who travel business class or first class, because they do not move around during the flight. It is also possible for people on long coach trips or car trips to develop a thrombosis, making the medical community more inclined to refer to it as 'traveller's thrombosis' rather than 'economy class syndrome'. A thrombosis can occur in several other situations when a person is immobile (or has limited movement) for an extended period of time. For example, after lying in bed for a prolonged period of time with an illness or after an operation.
Pregnant women are slightly more prone to developing a thrombosis because during the pregnancy (and for up to 6 weeks after the birth) a woman's blood clotting mechanism becomes more efficient.