Diagnosis of Venous Disorders and Examination of Venuos Valves

What is chronic venous insufficiency? Why do veins expand?

Chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) – venous blood stasis, caused by a limb venous disease. It usually shows itself by limb swelling, pain (aches), fatigue, and then disrupts limb tissue nutrition in the course of it’s progress. Because of the skin and subcutaneous tissue dietary changes, serious hard-healing ulcers may develop.

The main reason of CVI – are damaged venous valves, through which blood flows in both directions (a part of it constantly returns back). As a result, increased venous pressure in the legs leads to enlarged vein branches, knots, disruption of tissue nutrition.

How common are vein diseases?

Every second woman and every fourth man, calling the family doctor find abnormal venous blood flow in the legs. So far, there is no available epidemiologic data concerning chronic venous insufficiency of the legs (CCI) in Lithuania. Researches in Italy, Germany and England, show that chronic leg vein insufficiency affects about 15 percent of people aged 18+. Therefore, there should be about 500-600 thousand people with CVI in accordance with European countries statistics.

What are the signs of venous disease? When should I contact the vascular surgeon?

We recommend that you contact the vascular surgeon, if there are these signs of venous disease:

• Quick fatigue and sensation of heaviness in the legs;
• Leg pain after prolonged sitting or standing;
• Legs swelling after a work day;
• Contrast subcutaneous venous leg design;
• Night spasms;
• Leg skin color changes;
• Ulcers or wounds appearing in the lower part of the leg;
• Leg vein disease history in the family (inheritance).

Why is it important to timely detect and treat venous disease?

If no preventive or therapeutic measures are taken, the disease progresses, the swelling of the legs becomes more frequent, disease progress leads to superficial vascular net, then venous nods become highlighted and contrast, later it leads to spasmodic pain, and  in the long term result, there serious complications – vein inflammation, eczema, thromboembolism. In the final stages, skin nutrition is disrupted, it becomes thin and  hard-healing ulcers or bleeding from the bloated vein nodes may occur, in rare cases this disease can lead to malignant changes.

What are the ways to diagnose leg vein diseases?

• Ultrasonic testing methods. They are considered to be the most advanced and accurate venous disease diagnosis methods.
• Doppler study with acoustic Doppler. It records the blood flow, venous valve function can be evaluated.
• Double scan study – the most modern method. During the study you can see not only the blood vessel, measure blood flow velocity, direction, but also make a very precise diagnosis of the location of the damaged segment and assess the condition of the specific valve.

If you have any questions, please contact our GK Clinic by phone at (+370) 5 255 33 53 and arrange a private consultation.