Chronic venous insufficiency

Uncommon card · No. 193268

Chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) is a medical condition characterized by blood pooling in the veins, leading to increased pressure and strain on the vein walls. This is most commonly caused by blood flowing backwards in veins near the surface due to faulty valves, which can also result in the formation of varicose veins, a treatable condition. Since functional venous valves are necessary to facilitate efficient blood return from the lower extremities, CVI primarily affects the legs. When impaired vein function leads to significant symptoms such as oedema (swelling) or venous ulcer formation, the condition is referred to as chronic venous disease. It is also known as chronic peripheral venous insufficiency and should not be confused with post-thrombotic syndrome, a separate condition caused by damage to the deep veins following deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Most cases of CVI can be managed or improved through treatments targeting the superficial venous system or stenting the deep venous...

Read on Wikipedia · Image James Heilman, MD, CC BY-SA 4.0