Venous Insufficiency
Aka: Venous Insufficiency, Venous Stasis, Chronic Venous Insufficiency, Lipodermatosclerosis, Chronic Venous Disease, Venous Incompetence
II. Risk Factors
- Obesity
- Congestive Heart Failure
- Diabetes Mellitus
- Advanced age
- Female gender
- Family History of Varicose Veins
- Phlebitis
- Prior leg injury
- Prolonged standing or sitting
III. Pathophysiology
- Chronic Venous Disease is a spectrum of related conditions resulting from venous Hypertension and venous reflux
- Early findings include telangiectasia or reticular veins
- Next, Varicose Veins and edema develop
- Chronic stasis changes follow with pigmentation, Lipodermatosclerosis, and ultimately Venous Stasis Ulcers
- Venous Reflux
- Normal Venous valves prevent backflow
- Distal to Proximal vein backflow
- Superficial to Deep vein backflow
- Incompetent valves allow backflow when legs relax
- Results in distal venous Hypertension
- Primary etiology for Chronic Venous Insufficiency
- Venous Hypertension Causes
- Valve dysfunction
- Venous outflow obstruction
- Arteriovenous malformation
- Calf muscle pump failure
- Normal Venous valves prevent backflow
IV. Symptoms and Signs
- See CEAP Chronic Venous Disease Classification
- Initial Changes
- Telangiectasias or Spider veins (<1 mm diameter)
- Reticular veins (1-3 mm diameter)
- Varicose Veins (3 mm or more in diameter, with patient standing)
- Next
- Pedal edema
- Next
- Tan or reddish brown Skin Color changes
- Weeping, Eczematous or excoriated skin
- Later Changes
- Lipodermatosclerosis or atrophie blanche
- Induration at medial ankle to mid-leg
- Lipodermatosclerosis or atrophie blanche
- Advanced Changes
- Brawny Edema above and below fibrotic area
- Ulcerations
V. Complications
- Venous Stasis Ulcers
- More common in older women
- Chronic and often recurrent
- Postphlebitic Syndrome
- Chronic Leg Edema
- Lipodermatosclerosis (see signs above)
- Deep Venous Thrombosis
- Superficial Thrombophlebitis
- Pigmentation
- Ulceration
- Overlying Skin Changes
- Eczema
- Cellulitis and other secondary infection
VI. Diagnosis
- Duplex Ultrasound (B-Mode and Directional Pulse)
- Can accurately assess venous reflux
- Can also be used to assess Arterial Insufficiency
- With Ultrasound ankle/brachial index (See below)
- Descending Venography
- Not as accurate as Duplex scanning
VII. Management
- Confirm No Arterial Insufficiency
- Assess before managing Venous Insufficiency
- Ankle-Brachial Index
- Blood Pressure measurement
- Doppler Ultrasound measurement
- General measures
- Take regular walks
- Leg muscle activity promotes better venous return
- Avoid prolonged standing in one place
- Elevate Legs above Heart
- Perform 30 minutes each 3-4 times daily
- Elevate the foot of the bed to raise legs overnight
- Graduated Compression stockings (Jobst Stockings)
- Take regular walks
- Intermittent Pneumatic Compression Pumps
- Indications
- Obesity
- Moderate to Severe edema
- Contraindications
- Uncompensated Congestive Heart Failure
- Indications
- Diuretics
- Short term use
- Indications: Severe edema