To determine the chronological changes of venous physiology following major thromboses, 20 patients were repeatedly examined for over 5 years after an acute ilio-femoral thrombosis which was treated with conventional anticoagulation. Radionuclide angiography showed that 70% of the patients had obstructive lesions of the iliac vein with only minor changes occurring from 6 months to 5 years. In spite of this, the plethysmographic maximum venous outflow increased from 31 to 45 ml/min/100 ml (P less than 0.001). The foot volumetric reflux did not change with time and about half of the patients had abnormal values. Venous reflux assessed by the refill time of foot vein pressure, deteriorated with time (P less than 0.05), and at 5 years all but one patient had a refill time less than 20 s. The muscle pump function, examined by foot volumetry, was abnormally low in about half of the patients throughout the study. The ambulatory foot vein pressure was constantly pathological (greater than 60 mmHg) in half of the patients and only two of 18 patients had normal values (less than 45 mmHg) at 5 years. Five patients with thromboses involving only the proximal veins had better physiological results than 15 patients with thromboses that extended to the peripheral veins. Three patients who developed venous claudication had iliac vein obstruction and an impaired venous outflow and three patients who developed venous ulcers had venous reflux and severe venous hypertension. Although venous outflow continuously improves following ilio-femoral thromboses, valvular competence and muscle pump function are constantly pathological, creating severe venous hypertension with a risk of post-thrombotic sequelae.