Overview

Venous disease is a type of disorder that affects the health of the veins. Veins play a critical role in transferring blood throughout the body and returning blood to the heart. Venous disease can affect the valves within the veins, preventing the valves from closing completely. As a result, blood refluxes or flows in multiple directions.

Forms of venous disease include the following:

• A blood clot can develop in the arms, legs and veins of organs such as the spleen, kidneys, intestines, liver, lungs (pulmonary embolism) and brain (cerebral vein thrombosis).
• Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) refers to a blood clot that forms within the deep vein (legs and arms). It’s still a possibility the blood clot may break and migrate to the lungs, developing into a pulmonary embolism.
• Venous stasis ulcer develops from continuously high venous pressure, forcing fluid from the veins into nearby tissues. As a result, a debilitating ulcer (venous stasis ulcer) forms.

Warning Signs

Common signs of chronic venous insufficiency include the following:

• Change in the texture or colour of the skin
• Presence of varicose veins
• Pain in the leg
• Swelling in the lower limb

Danger signs of venous disease are:

• Ulcers on the ankles
• Oedema
• Itchiness above the targeted veins

Causes

Possible risk factors for venous disease include the following:

• Family history of DVT
• Being diagnosed with obesity
• The presence of varicose veins or the condition runs in the family
• Lack of physical activity
• Leading a sedentary lifestyle
• Continuous use of tobacco/smoking excessively
• Standing for extended periods
• Sitting for too long

Treatment

Surgical solutions for chronic venous insufficiency involve cutting off problematic veins by tying the ends (ligation), and stripping entails resecting large veins through two small cuts.

Medical management consists of the following:

• Anticoagulants assist by thinning out the blood to minimise the risk of blood clots.
• Compression stockings are applied to reduce the likelihood of blood accumulating in the veins.
• Sclerotherapy is the application of concentrated salt into the varicose vein. As a result, the affected vein collapses and disappears completely.

Surgical procedures for venous disease include the following:

• Thrombolytic therapy delivered using a catheter involves directing thrombolytics into the blood clot to help dissolve it.
• A vena cava filter is inserted through the vena cava to collect blood clots before the clots travel to the heart or lungs.
• Angioplasty is the insertion and inflation of a surgical balloon at the tip of the catheter into the affected vein to help improve blood flow in the region.