Deep vein thrombosis hit the headlines five years ago, when an airline passenger’s death prompted a string of court cases around the world, resulting in contradictory judgments

In October 2000, a strange thing happened. A seemingly healthy 20-something woman suddenly collapsed after a long-haul flight from Australia. A post-mortem determined that she had succumbed to a clot that had formed in the vein of her leg and was subsequently transported by her blood system to her lungs – causing a pulmonary embolism and her tragic death. Thus, deep vein thrombosis (DVT) entered the public consciousness.