What is deep venous thrombosis-and why have a number of NBA players like Damian Lillard and Victor Wembanyama have it?

Milwaukee Bucks announced at the end of March The Damian Lillard Stars Guard has a deep venous thrombosis In his right calf – just over a month after the star of San Antonio Spurs, Victor Wembanyama, was diagnosed with a blood clot in his right shoulderending his season.

Lillard has received blood medication and dollars announced on April 17 that Lillard is authorized for a complete basketball activity. Lillard and Wembanyama are not the only athletes or basketball players to suffer from blood clots; Several players, including Chris Bosh, Brandon Ingram and Ausar Thompson, have had similar medical problems. Although we do not yet know how their diagnoses will affect their long -term career, previous cases in sports can serve as a point of reference.

What is deep venous thrombosis?

Deep venous thrombosis is a condition where a blood clot is formed in a vein deeply in the body. Caillots are the most common in the legs, by the Mayo clinicBut can occur in other deep veins in the arms, the pelvis and the shoulders.

With deep venous thrombosis, the greatest risk is that clots can dislodge and move through blood circulation. A pulmonary embolism, which is more dangerous, can occur when a clot is stuck in the lungs and blocks the blood flow.

Deep venous thrombosis is the most frequent in older people or who do not do much exercise. Obviously, this is not the case with Wembanyama, 21. But the condition can occur without typical risk factors. A side effect is pain and swelling in the affected area, which is often as well as the clot is discovered.

Anticoagulants can help treat the condition, but it takes time for the clot. Wembanyama will probably miss several months, or more, during recovery.

Other athletes who suffered from similar conditions

Blood clots, including deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, are not uncommon in the world of sport, especially in the NBA. In recent years, several basketball players have received a diagnosis of similar conditions and have missed time accordingly.

These medical stories affected players in different ways. Some players returned to the game without any problem; Others have shorted their career.

Here are some recent athletes with similar conditions:

Damian Lillard

THE Milwaukee Bucks“ The star leader was diagnosed with deep venous thrombosis in his right calf March 25 with 11 remaining games in the regular season and the team that fights against the Detroit pistons And Indiana Pacers For a higher eliminatory seed.

Lillard, 34, was sidelined indefinitely after having followed blood medicines and would suffer regularly. The Bucks said in a declaration that the doctors said that his condition was unlikely to reproduce. Lillard himself said that He expected to overcome this And continues his career. It was initially diagnosed with a calf strain.

Victor Wembanyama

A blood clot was discovered on the right shoulder of Wembanyama after complaining of weakness in his right arm during the stars weekend. Wembanyama had experienced discomfort in the days preceding the break, and the Spurs excluded it for the rest of the season while he got treatment.

Spurs have remained optimistic that Wembanyama will be ready for the start of next season and will not have long -term complications.

Ingram Brandon

Ingram and Wembanyama have the most common in terms of medical history. Like Wembanyama, Ingram was diagnostic With deep venous thrombosis on the right shoulder in March 2019 and missed the rest of the 2018-19 season. The striker was 22 years old at the time.

But the condition did not stop the progression of Ingram in the league. A few months after being diagnosed, Ingram was exchanged New Orleans PélicansWhere he organized a massive 2019-20 season, displaying high-level averages in points, rebounds, aid and stolen. Ingram won his only star's head sign that year and was appointed The most improved NBA player at the end of the 2020 regular season.

Chris Bosh

The double champion of the NBA and 11 times All-Star Chris Bosh is one of the best known examples of the way in which blood clots can affect a career. Bosh, who fought with blood clots in recent years of his career, officially NBA retirement in 2019More than three years after playing his last match at the age of 31.

During his mandate with the Miami Heat, Bosh missed the second half of the 2015 season after a blood clot has migrated to his lungs and obtained another jam the leg the following year. (The first Bosh blood clot was diagnosed for 10 years, almost until the day, before the announcement of Wembanyama.)

The recurring medical problem has resulted in doctors and the heat using Bosh to sit for the year. After Bosh failed a physique and missed the 2016-2017 season, the NBA ruled that the condition was an end-of-career disease.

Miami finally renounced The All-Star in 2017, committing to withdraw the Bosh jersey. The heat was retained on this promise two years later, Removing Bosh n ° 1 in an emotional ceremony in 2019. A month before, Bosh had officially withdrew from the NBA, despite multiple royalties in the intermediate years.

Ausar Thompson

Another young player, the Detroit piston striker, Ausar Thompson, also fought with blood clots in the past year. Thompson, 22, received a diagnosis of a blood clot in March 2024, missing eight months following the problem.

Thompson returned to the court in November after being medically authorized. Since his return, he has become the small striker of the pistons, with an average of 9.3 points, five rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.6 interceptions per game in 33 games (22 departures).

Chris Bosh's career has been interrupted due to persistent problems with blood clots. (Photo of Michael Reaves / Getty Images)

(Michael Reaves via Getty Images)

Anderson Varejão

Brazilian striker Anderson Varejão also suffered from fatal blood clots. In January 2013, Varejão, then 30 years old and playing for the Cleveland horsemen, was hospitalized with a blood clot in his left lung.

The pulmonary embolism was discovered after Varejão told the medical staff of the riders that he felt pain on the chest and chest. After a computed tomography revealed the blood clot, Varejão quickly interrupted. A month later, Varejão told Yahoo Sports that he was “very lucky” that the clot was discovered and withdrawn before causing major damage.

Varejão missed the rest of the 2012-2013 season but returned to the court the following year. He played for a few more seasons in the NBA and Europe before retiring from professional basketball in 2021.

Mirza Teletović

The relatively short career of Bosnia striker Mirza Teletović was also affected by blood clots. Teletović, who made his debut in the European leagues, joined the Brooklyn Nets in 2012.

In January 2015, Teletovic was hospitalized Sleepful and diagnosed later with a bilateral pulmonary emboling, with several blood clots in its lungs. Teletović made luminaires and returned to the court the following season with the Phoenix Suns, having signed with the team during the offseason.

But his condition returned later. In 2017, playing with the Milwaukee Bucks, Teletović was again diagnostic with pulmonary embolism in both lungs, and was renounced in bucks a few months later. Teletović retired from the NBA in 2018 at the age of 33.

Serena Williams

Although it is not a basketball player, the Tennis Serena Williams superstar is a success when it comes to returning from blood clots. Williams was first diagnosed With a potentially fatal pulmonary embolism in early 2011 and was hospitalized following multiple blood clots in the two lungs.

Williams returned to court later that year, reaching the US Open final. In 2012, she won her fifth title of simple Wimbledon and her first Olympic gold medal, finishing a slam in a career.

In 2018, after giving birth to his daughter Olympia, Williams has undergone a number of complicationsIncluding another pulmonary embolism which required several surgeries. But a year later, she returned to the top 10 in the tennis classification. Williams retired tennis a few years later, playing his last match in 2022.

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