Lower Extremity Venous Disease –
Insufficiency Spider Veins and Varicose Veins
Condition
The nuisance of leg swelling and unaesthetic aspect of varicose veins and spider veins
What is Lower Extremity Venous Disease?
The venous system is responsible for taking the blood from our vital organs back to the heart. The veins are thin walled and don't have a strong muscular layer like the arteries.
When overburdened with blood, the veins dilate and the venous valves are being exhausted, causing the heart to fail. Superficial veins start engorging and new smaller veins appear right under the skin.
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What causes Lower Extremity Venous Disease?
The cause is a genetic predisposition for weak connective tissue and mostly long hours of standing positions, obesity and the lack of physical exercise.
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Varicose veins are very often a cosmetic issue.
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The clinically significant venous condition of the lower extremities is the deep venous thrombosis, DVT, a dangerous occlusion of a deep vein due to a blood clot (cf. deep vein thrombosis page).
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What are the symptoms of Lower Extremity Venous Disease?
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Spider veins are a cosmetic concern. Dark bluish patches of venous conglomerates are very superficial and can be seen easily.
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Bigger varicose veins have an unpleasant optical aspect, but they also can create problems like:
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Swelling of the lower extremities
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Skin ulcerations, difficulty healing
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Inflammation causing thrombophlebitis (cf. thrombophlebitis page)
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What imaging/ tests are done to diagnose Lower Extremity Venous Disease?
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Venous Echo-Doppler Ultrasound examination of the veins of the legs
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What intervention/ treatment can be performed for Lower Extremity Venous Disease?
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The suspicion of a DVT must prompt immediate diagnosis and treatment. The risk of an acute, life threatening thromboembolic event is very high.
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Deep venous Thrombosis requires immediate blood thinning medication. In rare cases when the clot burden exceeds a certain volume, minimally invasive interventions like Catheter-Directed Thrombolysis and Thrombectomy may be indicated.
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The treatment of varicose veins and spider veins are rather cosmetic:
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Sclerotherapy/foam sclerotherapy
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Laser Sclerotherapy
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Radiofrequency Sclerotherapy
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Surgical vein stripping
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What intervention/ treatment does CardioCare offer for Lower Extremity Venous Disease?
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Catheter-directed thrombolysis and thrombectomy
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Sclerotherapy/foam sclerotherapy
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Laser sclerotherapy
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Radiofrequency sclerotherapy
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Surgical vein stripping
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