Inflammation, in particular that involving the innate immune system, is now widely accepted as having a pivotal role in the cause of venous thrombosis, the response to thrombosis and in orchestrating resolution. 1–6 The main inflammatory cells associated with thrombosis in the venous system include polymorphonuclear neutrophils recruited during thrombus initiation, followed by mononuclear phagocytes that accumulate during its resolution. 6 These inflammatory cells, particularly macrophages, are not only sources of the proinflammatory cytokines, such as TNF-α (tumor necrosis factor-α), 7 but their cellular function can also be influenced by these factors.