What is Vein Disease?

What do vascular surgeons do?
How do I know I need to see a vascular surgeon?
Vascular Conditions
Vascular Tests
Vascular Treatments
What is Vascular Disease?
What is Vein Disease?
What is Venous Disease and Lymphedema?
What is Deep Venous Thrombosis (DVT)?
What is Pulmonary Embolism? (PE)?
What is Chronic Venous Disease (CVD)?
What is Lymphedema?
What is Compression Therapy?

What is Venous Disease and Lymphedema?

The veins in your body play an important role in circulation, carrying blood from your various parts of your body back to your heart. Yet, as people age, problems can develop in the veins and cause a variety of complications. In fact, one in three individuals over the age of 45 has some kind of vein disease.

Early symptoms may seem minor. However, they can become more serious – and even life-threatening – if they are not treated. Which is why it is important to be aware of symptoms and seek medical advice at the earliest sign of a problem.

Obstruction in the flow of lymphatic circulation due to infection, Malignancy, Radio Therapy, Surgery can lead to lymphedema.

Risk Factors for DVT

Age is the leading risk factor for DVT. Other factors that play a role are:

What is Deep Venous Thrombosis (DVT)?

A thrombosis is a blood clot. A deep vein thrombosis (DVT) refers to a blood clot in the leg that does not travel to other parts of the body. Most DVTs occur in the veins in the calf, but they also can occur in the thigh and in the hip area.

These blood clots usually begin in areas where the ability of the blood to clot is out of balance or where blood flow is stopped or decreased, for example when there is an injury to the blood vessel wall.

Symptoms

Early signs of a DVT are pain, swelling, warmth and redness in the area where the blood clot has formed.

DVT can lead to post-thrombotic syndrome, another kind of vein blockage that interferes with blood flow. This complication, which occurs in up to two-thirds of people with DVT, causes pain, fluid build-up, change in skin color and skin ulcers.

In addition, DVT can have more serious consequences. It can lead to a blockage of an artery in a lung (pulmonary embolism), which can be life-threatening. This occurs in about 10 percent of people who have DVT

What is Pulmonary Embolism (PE)?

Pulmonary embolism is a blockage in an artery in the lungs. It occurs when a blood clot – usually from the legs (deep vein thrombosis) – breaks off, is carried through the bloodstream and lodges in the arteries in the lungs. This blocks the flow of blood through the heart, which may lead to death.

Complications :

Massive pulmonary embolism causes an overload of the heart and can cause a sudden collapse of the cardiovascular system, which can cause fainting or sudden death.

Symptoms :

Sharp pain that worsens when taking a deep breath
Presence of deep vein thrombosis or previous deep vein thrombosis
LCertain inherited conditions, such as factor V Leiden
Recent treatment for cancer
Presence of a central venous catheter, a tube that is placed in a vein for some medical treatments
Sitting for long periods of time (for example in a car or on an airplane
Pregnancy, including the six week period after pregnancy
Birth control pills
Hormone therapy
Risk Factors
Coughing up blood
Previous pulmonary embolism
Obesity
Chest pain (often sudden)
Shortness of breath

Symptoms :

What is Chronic Venous Disease (CVD)?

CVD refers to other chronic conditions related to or caused by veins that become diseased or abnormal. These problems can include:

Varicose veins are dilated, thickened, elongated and twisted blood vessels that don’t control blood flow as they should. In some cases, they can be small spider veins and even appear thread-like. In other cases they may appear as large grape-like clusters under the skin

Risk Factors:

Varicose veins occur more often in women than men, especially during pregnancy (starting in the first trimester), during the last 14 days of the menstrual cycle, and in people who have a job for which they must stand for long periods of time.

What is Lymphedema?

Lymphatic obstruction is a blockage of the lymph vessels that drain fluid from tissues throughout the body and allow immune cells to travel where they are needed. Lymphatic obstruction may cause lymphedema, which means swelling due to a blockage of the lymph passages.

Causes of lymphatic obstruction can include: injury, radiation therapy, skin infections such as cellulitis, surgery and tumors

One of the most common causes of lymphedema is removal of the breast (mastectomy) and underarm lymph tissue for breast cancer. This causes lymphedema of the arm in 10 – 15% of patients, because the lymphatic drainage of the arm passes through the armpit (axilla).

Symptoms :

The main symptom is persistent (chronic) swelling, usually of the arm or leg.

How is it diagnosed?

The following tests may be done:

What is Compression Therapy?

Compression therapy means wearing socks or stockings that are specially designed to support your veins and increase circulation in your legs. The socks or stockings are normally worn in the morning upon arising, and removed at night. Throughout the day the compression they provide prevents blood from pooling in leg veins, thereby helping overall circulation and diminishing any leg swelling you may have.

How compression therapy stockings work?

Compression stockings improve the signs and symptoms of various conditions of venous disease by providing graduated compression therapy to help control leg swelling and discomfort. They are designed to provide support to the legs and veins, assist with circulation, and minimize swelling. The compression is graduated, with the strongest support starting at the ankles and gradually decreasing towards the top of the garment. This gradual support works in conjunction with the pumping action of the calf muscles, which also assist with circulation.