Chronic venous insufficiency is a common condition affecting the circulatory system in the veins of the legs.
What Is Chronic Venous Insufficiency?
Under normal conditions, veins carry blood from the legs back up to the heart. This is achieved through the coordinated action of multiple valves inside the veins working alongside the calf muscles.
If these valves or muscles do not function properly, blood can flow backward into the legs—a process known as reflux. This causes venous hypertension, leading to chronic venous insufficiency.
Causes of Chronic Venous Insufficiency
Chronic venous insufficiency can develop from multiple factors that increase pressure inside the veins and cause them to dilate, including:
- Blood clots
- Surgery or leg injuries
- Overweight or obesity
- Pregnancy
- Prolonged periods of standing or sitting
Symptoms of Chronic Venous Insufficiency
Symptoms can range from mild—such as heaviness, itching, pain, and dilated veins—to severe, including swelling of the legs, feet, and ankles, skin discoloration, rashes, recurrent infections, or ulcers.
Chronic Symptoms:
- Varicose Veins: Swollen, twisted veins caused by poor circulation, typical of chronic venous insufficiency, which lead to pain or heaviness.
- Swelling (Edema): Particularly after standing for long periods.
- Skin Changes: Pooling blood and elevated pressure over months or years turn the skin a reddish-brown color, primarily on the inner side of the ankle. Veins can also become irritated and inflamed.
Severe Cases:
- Venous Ulcers: Open sores that fail to heal and may bleed, typically located on the inner ankle. Treating these ulcers is highly complex.
Treatment for Chronic Venous Insufficiency
Treatment for chronic venous insufficiency focuses on reducing symptoms and preventing ulcers through measures such as:
- Leg elevation
- Foot, ankle, and leg exercises (e.g., standing on tiptoes repeatedly and walking)
- Compression socks or stockings
- Compression bandages for severe cases
- Medications (very helpful for relieving symptoms, though they do not reduce or eliminate varicose veins)
Surgery for Chronic Venous Insufficiency
Surgery is reserved for cases that do not improve with conservative treatments.
Endovascular surgical options include thermal and non-thermal ablation. In non-thermal ablation, a substance or medical adhesive is injected to close the vein. In thermal ablation, a specialized catheter delivering either laser energy or radiofrequency is inserted, producing heat to seal the vein from within.
Traditional surgery involves the surgical removal of varicose veins and is known as saphenous vein stripping (safenectomy).
At the Vascular, Arterial, and Venous Disease Area at Centro Médico ABC, we provide specialized care. Contact us today!
