Phlebitis Causes

Phlebitis has many causes. Some of the common causes of phlebitis are:

• Local trauma or injury to the vein
• Travelling, such as, long driving or plane rides
• Insertion of intravenous catheters (IV) in hospitals, or IV induced phlebitis
• After surgery (post-operative period), especially orthopedic procedures
• Prolonged immobility, as in hospitalized or bed-ridden patients
• Varicose veins
• Underlying cancers or clotting disorders
• Disruption of normal venous system drainage because of removal of lymph nodes, for example, after mastectomy for breast cancer
• intravenous drug use
• Patients with burns
• Use of oral contraceptive pills
• Obesity
• Smoking cigarettes
• Hormone replacement therapy
• Pregnancy