VARICOSE VEINS
13/08/2018
Venous Anatomy of Lower Limbs
 Superficial venous system
 Deep venous system
 Perforator veins
Venous valves
 The venous valves are abundant in the distal lower
extremity and number of valves decreases
proximally, with no valves in superior and inferior
vena cava
 Delicate structures
 Prevent reverse flow in the veins
 Ensure that the blood is pumped from the superficial
to the deep system and back towards the heart when
the patient is walking
Perforator veins
 Connect superficial to deep veins at various
levels.
 Travel from superficial fascia through an
opening in the deep fascia before entering the
deep veins.
 The direction of blood flow - from superficial to
deep veins.
 Guarded by valves so that the flow is
unidirectional, i.e. Towards deep veins.
 Reversal of flow occurs due to incompetence of
perforators which will lead to varicose veins
 Ankle perforators
 Lower leg – Cocket perforators
 Boyd’s
 Dodd perforators
 Hunterian perforators
Varicose Veins
 Permanently dilated , elongated veins with
Tortuous veins causing pathological ( Reverse flow)
circulation.
 Risk factors
 Female sex
 Prolonged standing
 Raised intra abdominal pressure
 Increased progesterone
 High heels
The etiology of varicose veins can be subdivided into
three categories: primary, secondary, and congenital (see
the image below).
Classification Of Varicose Veins
Anatomical
Long Saphenous
System
Short
Saphenous
System
Perforator
Incompetence
Size Of Varices
Thread
Veins
Reticular
Veins
1- 4mm
Varicosities
>4mm
CEAP Classification
Clinical
Etiological
Anatomical
Pathophysiological
Thread veins, also called spider
veins, are tiny prominent veins just
below the skin surface.
The best treatment for thread veins is
microsclerotherapy
Valve
incompetence
/Ch. Venous
hypertension
Defective
microcirculati
on
RBC
diffusion/ lysis
Hemosiderin
deposition
Dermatatis /
capillary
damage
Chronic
Venous
ulceration
Clinical Features
 Dragging pain, postural discomfort
 Heaviness in the legs
 Night time cramps
 Oedema, itching
 Discolouration
 Ulceration
Cause Of Pain In Varicose Veins
 Chronic venous hypertension
 Anoxia
 Hyperviscosity or red cells
 Platelet aggregation
 Capillary functional disorder
 Altered cutneous microcirculation
Complications
 Hemorrhage
 Pigmentation/ eczema
 Periostitis
 Venous ulcer
 Lipodermatosclerosis
 Talipes equinovsrus
 DVT
 Recurrent thrombophlebitis
Clinical Signs
• Saphenofemoral incompetence
Brodie-trendelenberg’s test I
• Perforator incompetence
Brodie-trendelenberg’s test II
• DVT
Perthe’s test / modified
perthe’s
• Perforator incompetence
Tourniquet’s test
• Valvular incompetence
Schwartz test
• Perforator site localisation
Fegan test
• Blow outs = perforators
Pratt’s test
Other Examination
 Abdomen examination
 Ulcer
 Lymphnodal examination
Investigation In Varicose Veins
 Localise the anatomical location of the disease
 Nature of the lesion
 Rule out DVT
Contd…
 Venous Doppler
 DUPLEX scan
 Doppler combined with B mode Ultrasound
 Functional and anatomical information
 DVT well made out.
 Uniphasic signal – normal
 Biphasic signal – reversal flow
Contd…
Venography
Ascending venography
• Dorsal venous arch – canulated
• Tourniquet at malleoli
• Dye injected
• X-rays taken
• DVT/perforator status
Descending venography
• Ascending venogram not possible
• Contrast through femoral vein
• Valvular incompetence
Conservative management
 Elastic crepe bandage – stockings
 30-40mm Hg
 Elevation of limbs
 Above the level of heart
 Graded compression stockings
Contd..
 Unna boot
 Nonelastic compression
 Zinc oxide, calamine, and glycerine
 Dressing changed once in a week
 Infection should not be there
 Compression methods
 Reduce ambulatory venous pressure
 Trans capillary leakage
 Improve cutaneous micro circulation
Medications
 Calcium dobesilate
 Improves lymph flow, reduce edema
 Diosmin
 Protects venous valves / anti inflammatory
 Not proven much beneficial
Sclerotherapy
 Complete sclerosis of the venous wall
 Indications
 Uncomplicated perforator incompetence
 Smaller varices
 Recurrent varices
 Isolated varices
 Aged/patients not fit for surgery.
Contd…
 Sclerosants used are
 Sodium tetradecyl sulphate
 Sodium morrhuate
 Ethanolamine oleate
 Polidocanol
 Mechanism of action
 Aseptic inflammation
 Perivenous fibrosis
 Endothelial damage
 Obliteration by intimal approximation
Technique
23 gauge needle
in to vein and
emptied
0.5 -1 ml
of
sclerosant
Immediate
compressio
n bandage
Proper
endothelial
apposition
May have
to be
repeated
after 2-4
weeks later
Contd…
• Saphenofemoral incompetence
• DVT
• Peripheral arterial disease
• Hypersensitivity
Contraindication
• OPD procedure
• No anesthesia
Advantages
• Anaphylaxis/shock
• Abscess
• Thrombophlebitis
• Intravenous hematoma
• Temporary ocular disturbances
Disadvantages
Interventional Procedures
 Relieve symptoms
 Pain / discomfort
 Reverse complication
 Cosmesis
Surgical management
 Trendelenberg’s procedure
 Juxtafemoral flush ligation of long saphenous vein
 Flush ligation of tibutaries
 Superficial circumflex
 Superficial external pudendal
 Superficial epigastric
 Deep external pudendal
 Unnamed tibutaries
Contd…
 Stripping of long saphenous vein
 Upto knee joint
 Myer’s stripper
 Complications
 Saphenous nerve injury
 Hematoma
 Infection
Contd…
 Perforator incompetence
Subfascial ligation of perforators-- Linton’s method (The Linton
procedure involves making a long incision across the calf including the diseased tissue,
forming a skin/soft tissue/fascial flap, and ligating the perforator veins under direct
visualization.)
Percutaneous endovenous RFA of incompetent perforator veins
Stab avulsion method
subfascial endoscopic perforator surgery(SEPS)
SEPS
 Subfascial endoscopic perforator surgery
 Minimally invasive method
Endovenous Laser Ablation - EVLA
 US guidance LSV canulated above knee
 Guide wire passed beyond SFJ
 Tip is placed 1cm distal to SF junction
 Laser fibre inserted upto the catheter
 Diode laser used for firing
Contd…
 Thermal damage of endothelium – occlusion of vein
 Laser energy acts on blood – in turn heats the vein wall.
 Complications
 Pain / ecchymosis
 Hematoma
 Skin burns
 DVT
THANK YOU

Varicose Veins lecture for medical students

  • 1.
  • 2.
    Venous Anatomy ofLower Limbs  Superficial venous system  Deep venous system  Perforator veins
  • 3.
    Venous valves  Thevenous valves are abundant in the distal lower extremity and number of valves decreases proximally, with no valves in superior and inferior vena cava  Delicate structures  Prevent reverse flow in the veins  Ensure that the blood is pumped from the superficial to the deep system and back towards the heart when the patient is walking
  • 4.
    Perforator veins  Connectsuperficial to deep veins at various levels.  Travel from superficial fascia through an opening in the deep fascia before entering the deep veins.  The direction of blood flow - from superficial to deep veins.  Guarded by valves so that the flow is unidirectional, i.e. Towards deep veins.  Reversal of flow occurs due to incompetence of perforators which will lead to varicose veins
  • 5.
     Ankle perforators Lower leg – Cocket perforators  Boyd’s  Dodd perforators  Hunterian perforators
  • 6.
    Varicose Veins  Permanentlydilated , elongated veins with Tortuous veins causing pathological ( Reverse flow) circulation.  Risk factors  Female sex  Prolonged standing  Raised intra abdominal pressure  Increased progesterone  High heels
  • 7.
    The etiology ofvaricose veins can be subdivided into three categories: primary, secondary, and congenital (see the image below).
  • 8.
    Classification Of VaricoseVeins Anatomical Long Saphenous System Short Saphenous System Perforator Incompetence Size Of Varices Thread Veins Reticular Veins 1- 4mm Varicosities >4mm CEAP Classification Clinical Etiological Anatomical Pathophysiological
  • 9.
    Thread veins, alsocalled spider veins, are tiny prominent veins just below the skin surface. The best treatment for thread veins is microsclerotherapy
  • 11.
  • 12.
    Clinical Features  Draggingpain, postural discomfort  Heaviness in the legs  Night time cramps  Oedema, itching  Discolouration  Ulceration
  • 13.
    Cause Of PainIn Varicose Veins  Chronic venous hypertension  Anoxia  Hyperviscosity or red cells  Platelet aggregation  Capillary functional disorder  Altered cutneous microcirculation
  • 14.
    Complications  Hemorrhage  Pigmentation/eczema  Periostitis  Venous ulcer  Lipodermatosclerosis  Talipes equinovsrus  DVT  Recurrent thrombophlebitis
  • 15.
    Clinical Signs • Saphenofemoralincompetence Brodie-trendelenberg’s test I • Perforator incompetence Brodie-trendelenberg’s test II • DVT Perthe’s test / modified perthe’s • Perforator incompetence Tourniquet’s test • Valvular incompetence Schwartz test • Perforator site localisation Fegan test • Blow outs = perforators Pratt’s test
  • 16.
    Other Examination  Abdomenexamination  Ulcer  Lymphnodal examination
  • 17.
    Investigation In VaricoseVeins  Localise the anatomical location of the disease  Nature of the lesion  Rule out DVT
  • 18.
    Contd…  Venous Doppler DUPLEX scan  Doppler combined with B mode Ultrasound  Functional and anatomical information  DVT well made out.  Uniphasic signal – normal  Biphasic signal – reversal flow
  • 19.
    Contd… Venography Ascending venography • Dorsalvenous arch – canulated • Tourniquet at malleoli • Dye injected • X-rays taken • DVT/perforator status Descending venography • Ascending venogram not possible • Contrast through femoral vein • Valvular incompetence
  • 21.
    Conservative management  Elasticcrepe bandage – stockings  30-40mm Hg  Elevation of limbs  Above the level of heart  Graded compression stockings
  • 22.
    Contd..  Unna boot Nonelastic compression  Zinc oxide, calamine, and glycerine  Dressing changed once in a week  Infection should not be there  Compression methods  Reduce ambulatory venous pressure  Trans capillary leakage  Improve cutaneous micro circulation
  • 23.
    Medications  Calcium dobesilate Improves lymph flow, reduce edema  Diosmin  Protects venous valves / anti inflammatory  Not proven much beneficial
  • 24.
    Sclerotherapy  Complete sclerosisof the venous wall  Indications  Uncomplicated perforator incompetence  Smaller varices  Recurrent varices  Isolated varices  Aged/patients not fit for surgery.
  • 25.
    Contd…  Sclerosants usedare  Sodium tetradecyl sulphate  Sodium morrhuate  Ethanolamine oleate  Polidocanol  Mechanism of action  Aseptic inflammation  Perivenous fibrosis  Endothelial damage  Obliteration by intimal approximation
  • 26.
    Technique 23 gauge needle into vein and emptied 0.5 -1 ml of sclerosant Immediate compressio n bandage Proper endothelial apposition May have to be repeated after 2-4 weeks later
  • 27.
    Contd… • Saphenofemoral incompetence •DVT • Peripheral arterial disease • Hypersensitivity Contraindication • OPD procedure • No anesthesia Advantages • Anaphylaxis/shock • Abscess • Thrombophlebitis • Intravenous hematoma • Temporary ocular disturbances Disadvantages
  • 28.
    Interventional Procedures  Relievesymptoms  Pain / discomfort  Reverse complication  Cosmesis
  • 29.
    Surgical management  Trendelenberg’sprocedure  Juxtafemoral flush ligation of long saphenous vein  Flush ligation of tibutaries  Superficial circumflex  Superficial external pudendal  Superficial epigastric  Deep external pudendal  Unnamed tibutaries
  • 30.
    Contd…  Stripping oflong saphenous vein  Upto knee joint  Myer’s stripper  Complications  Saphenous nerve injury  Hematoma  Infection
  • 31.
    Contd…  Perforator incompetence Subfascialligation of perforators-- Linton’s method (The Linton procedure involves making a long incision across the calf including the diseased tissue, forming a skin/soft tissue/fascial flap, and ligating the perforator veins under direct visualization.) Percutaneous endovenous RFA of incompetent perforator veins Stab avulsion method subfascial endoscopic perforator surgery(SEPS)
  • 32.
    SEPS  Subfascial endoscopicperforator surgery  Minimally invasive method
  • 33.
    Endovenous Laser Ablation- EVLA  US guidance LSV canulated above knee  Guide wire passed beyond SFJ  Tip is placed 1cm distal to SF junction  Laser fibre inserted upto the catheter  Diode laser used for firing
  • 34.
    Contd…  Thermal damageof endothelium – occlusion of vein  Laser energy acts on blood – in turn heats the vein wall.  Complications  Pain / ecchymosis  Hematoma  Skin burns  DVT
  • 35.

Editor's Notes

  • #8 The cause of primary varicose veins is valvular insufficiency of the superficial veins, most commonly at the SFValve, resulting in venous hypertension. Secondary varicose veins are mainly caused by DVT that leads to chronic deep venous obstruction or valvular insufficiency. Long-term clinical sequelae from this have been called the postthrombotic syndrome. This category also includes catheter-associated DVT. Pregnancy-induced and progesterone-induced venous wall and valve weakness worsened by expanded circulating blood volume and enlarged uterus can compress the inferior vena cava and hinder venous return from the lower extremities. Trauma is another possible cause of secondary varicose veins. The congenital category includes any venous malformations. Examples include Klippel-Trenaunay variants and avalvulia.