Chronic Venous Insufficiency occurs when the veins in the legs are damaged and do not function as they should. Often this condition is linked to valves in the leg veins that have blood flow problems. The normal function of these valves is to allow blood flow to the heart and with Chronic Venous Insufficiency the blood can flow backwards away from the heart. Ulcers and swelling are common symptoms of this condition. The deep, superficial, and perforating veins can all be impacted by this condition.
Often the symptoms of this condition are mild at first, but they worsen over time. The most common symptoms of this condition are:
Patients with severe Chronic Venous Insufficiency will have scar tissue inside the tissues of the lower leg that can trap fluid within them. This can make the skin feel hard to the touch.
This condition is assessed in stages linked with the severity of the symptoms that the patient is experiencing. There are six stages, with stage 0 showing almost no symptoms and stage 6 showing ulcerative symptoms.
The cause of Chronic Venous Insufficiency is valves in the legs that don’t work correctly. When the valves in the legs are damaged, blood can flow backward instead of heading back up the leg to the heart. The cause of this condition can be congenital, as some people are born with malformations in their leg veins. Some people are also born without any valves in the veins of the legs.
The most common cause of Chronic Venous Insufficiency is having deep vein thrombosis. The clots associated with this condition can damage veins in the legs and lead to Chronic Venous Insufficiency.
The risk factors for Chronic Venous Insufficiency are:
Diagnosis of this condition is made by taking a full medical history from the patient. The physician will also need to conduct a vascular assessment and look for signs of varicose veins and other kinds of abnormalities in the lower legs. Imaging studies will also be used to see if there are clots in the legs or venous abnormalities that are in the deep veins.
Duplex ultrasound and venography are both usually used to diagnose the condition of the veins that are deeper within the legs.
The prevention measures that can help you avoid this condition are often part of the treatment protocol. You should avoid sitting or standing for long periods of time. You will need to keep your legs moving or else wear compression stockings to help improve the function of your veins to return blood to the heart.
You should elevate your legs when sitting or lying down, and you should exercise regularly. Patients are usually asked to quit smoking and avoid alcohol. You might also be directed to lose weight. Protecting the skin with daily moisturisers can also help prevent ulcers near the ankles.
Compression stockings can be a good way to help prevent clots when you need to stand or sit for long periods of time. Even if you are not yet showing any signs of Chronic Venous Insufficiency, if you have a family history of the condition, you should use compression stockings to help keep your legs healthy when you are travelling or if you need to be sedentary for any extended period of time.
Treatment of affected veins can be done through vein bypass, ligation, or stripping of the affected veins or through stenting and angioplasty to open up blocked veins. The severity of the damage to the veins in question will often dictate which mode of treatment is used.