Chronic Venous Insufficiency
What is Chronic Venous Insufficiency?
Varicose veins are enlarged veins most often found in the legs. These veins develop when faulty valves in the veins allow blood to pool in the leg veins. These veins can appear enlarged, swollen, twisting and blue or purple in color. Patients may experience symptoms such as aching legs, swollen ankles and spider veins. Some patients with advanced disease may experience skin discoloration, itching and pain in the legs.
Over time, CVI can cause pain, swelling, and skin changes in your legs. It may also lead to open sores called ulcers on your legs.
Who is at risk for Chronic Venous Insufficiency?
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Female sex
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Pregnancy
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Increased weight
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Smoking
What does the research say about Chronic Venous Insufficiency?
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Minimally invasive endovenous therapies are as effective as surgery
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Endovenous therapies have a 98% initial success rate
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Nonsurgical therapies may have faster recovery times than surgery
Varicose Veins
What are Varicose Veins?
- Varicose veins are enlarged veins most often found in the legs. These veins develop when faulty valves in the veins allow blood to pool in the leg veins. These veins can appear enlarged, swollen, twisting and blue or purple in color. Patients may experience symptoms such as aching legs, swollen ankles and spider veins. Some patients with advanced disease may experience skin discoloration, itching and pain in the legs.
Who is at risk?
- Female sex
- Pregnancy
- Increased weight
- Smoking
What does the research say?
- Minimally invasive endovenous therapies are as effective as surgery
- Endovenous therapies have a 98% initial success rate
- Nonsurgical therapies may have faster recovery times than surgery
Varicose Veins Symptoms
These symptoms include:
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- Aching or throbbing leg pain
- Leg heaviness/fatigue
- Skin discoloration
- Skin ulcers
- Leg swelling
If you are experiencing signs and symptoms of Varicose Veins, and are finding it difficult to perform your daily activities and maintain your way of life, contact your primary care physician immediately.
Endovenous Treatments
Thermal ablation
- Thermal ablation includes laser ablation or radiofrequency ablation
- Minimally invasive procedure in which a leg vein is accessed using a small needle under direct ultrasound visualization. A catheter is advanced in the affected vein. Laser or radio waves are transmitted through the catheter to close the affected vein.
Sclerotherapy
- Minimally invasive procedure in which a leg vein is accessed using a small needle under direct ultrasound visualization. A catheter is advanced in the affected vein. A sclerosing agent is infused to close the affected vein.
Is Endovenous Treatments right for me?
You may be a candidate for endovascular therapy if:
- You have swelling of legs worsening throughout the day
- You have dilation of leg veins
- You have skin color changes or ulceration of the lower legs
Key Advantages
Endovenous treatments are a safe treatment option and like other minimally invasive procedures have significant advantages over open surgery.
Benefits
- Extensive research demonstrating treatment effectiveness
- Same day procedure
- Local anesthesia
- Short recovery time
- Reduce risk of limb loss
Risks
- Although complications of endovascular therapies are rare, any medical procedure carries some degree of risk. Despite the low risk factor, it is important to understand the potential complications associated with endovenous treatments. These include:
- Bruising
- Blood clot development in the deep veins
Other Treatment Options
Medical treatments
Compression stockings are a mainstay of varicose vein treatment. The stockings compress the legs and the leg veins to reduce the backflow of blood towards the feet.
Surgical treatments
Surgical treatments including ligation and stripping are rarely used for treatment with the development of endovenous therapies. Surgery may require multiple incisions to remove and ligate the affected veins.
Other Conditions & Treatments
Pelvic congestion syndrome
May-Thurner syndrome
Deep Venous Thrombosis (DVT)
A thrombosis is a blood clot. A deep vein thrombosis (DVT) refers to a blood clot in the leg that does not travel to other parts of the body.
Pulmonary Embolism? (PE)
Pulmonary embolism is a blockage in an artery in the lungs. It occurs when a blood clot – usually from the legs (deep vein thrombosis) – breaks off, is carried through the bloodstream and lodges in the arteries in the lungs. This blocks the flow of blood through the heart, which may lead to death.
Chronic Venous Disease (CVD)
CVD refers to other chronic conditions related to or caused by veins that become diseased or abnormal. These problems can include:
- Varicose Veins & Spider Veins
- Leg Swelling
- Leg Pain
- Leg Skin Changes
- Chronic Venous Insufficiency
- Leg Ulcers
- Phlebitis
- Vascular Malformations
