Thrombophlebitis is best described as

Thrombophlebitis is best described as

• A. Infection of an artery.
• B. Formation of a blood clot in a vein without inflammation.
• C. Inflammation of a vein in the absence of IV use.
• D. Inflammation, redness, and pain of a vein with prolonged IV use.

Answer: (D)

Thrombophlebitis means inflammation of a vein with a clot inside it, most often in superficial veins after IV therapy. It presents with redness, warmth, and tenderness along the vein, sometimes a palpable cord where the vein runs. The option that best fits this description describes inflammation of a vein with redness and pain in the setting of prolonged IV use, which captures both the inflammatory process and the common IV-related cause. The other statements miss key features: an infection of an artery describes a different vessel and process; a clot in a vein without inflammation lacks the inflammatory component essential to thrombophlebitis; inflammation of a vein without IV use describes phlebitis without necessarily a thrombus.

Thrombophlebitis means inflammation of a vein with a clot inside it, most often in superficial veins after IV therapy. It presents with redness, warmth, and tenderness along the vein, sometimes a palpable cord where the vein runs. The option that best fits this description describes inflammation of a vein with redness and pain in the setting of prolonged IV use, which captures both the inflammatory process and the common IV-related cause. The other statements miss key features: an infection of an artery describes a different vessel and process; a clot in a vein without inflammation lacks the inflammatory component essential to thrombophlebitis; inflammation of a vein without IV use describes phlebitis without necessarily a thrombus.