A 26-year-old Canadian man, an avid basketball player, began experiencing persistent swelling and pain in his left lower leg about a year earlier. Over time, the affected skin gradually turned purplish-black, eventually preventing him from continuing the sport he enjoyed.
He was diagnosed by his family physician with deep vein thrombosis of the lower extremity and was treated with the anticoagulant warfarin for six months. However, his symptoms showed little improvement, and ulceration developed. He then sought treatment through traditional Chinese medicine (TCM).
