Virchow's triad describes the three broad categories of factors that are thought to contribute to thrombosis.
- Hypercoagulability
- Hemodynamic changes (stasis, turbulence)
- Endothelial injury/dysfunction
It is named after the eminent German physician Rudolf Virchow (1821-1902). However, the elements comprising Virchow's triad were neither proposed by Virchow, nor did he ever suggest a triad to describe the pathogenesis of venous thrombosis. In fact, it was decades following Virchow's death before a consensus was reached proposing that thrombosis is the result of alterations in blood flow, vascular endothelial injury, or alterations in the constitution of the blood. Still, the modern understanding of the factors leading to embolism are similar to the description provided by Virchow. Its nebulous origins notwithstanding, Virchow's triad remains a useful concept for clinicians and pathologists alike in understanding the contributors to thrombosis.