Venous insufficiency in men

Venous insufficiency is one of the most common afflictions of the modern world. It occurs when the veins, the vessels that carry blood from the organs to the heart, do not function properly.

The mechanism of venous insufficiency is most often due to malfunctioning valves, excessive dilatation of the venous bed, overloading of the venous bed or processes leading to impaired blood outflow.
in our body. The process by far the most common inducer of venous insufficiency is pregnancy, hence the frequency of
venous circulatory insufficiency in ladies reaches up to 40% of the population. In the male population, the problem occurs slightly
Less frequently, in 15-20% men. A rarer cause of venous insufficiency in the legs is a history of thrombosis and the subsequent post-thrombotic syndrome. 

Venous insufficiency has many different faces. Its beginnings are usually innocent. Patients complain of heavy legs, then swelling, varicose veins or wounds in the lower parts of the legs that are difficult to heal. Among men, heredity is undoubtedly the most significant factor in the occurrence of venous insufficiency and varicose veins on the legs secondary to it. However, everyday observations by the team at the Warsaw Phlebology Clinic show that anatomical conditions and lifestyle, such as standing for long periods of time, sitting or doing strength sports popular among men, are equally important. - comments phlebologist Dr Justyna Wilczko.

SECRETS OF DIAGNOSIS

Effective diagnosis of the venous system should nowadays start with Doppler ultrasound of the veins of the lower limbs. Many patients require a so-called extended diagnosis with Doppler ultrasound of the veins of the small pelvis and abdominal cavity.

We use advanced diagnostic imaging for people whose cause of venous insufficiency of the lower limbs has a more complicated background. Thanks to advances in modern vascular imaging diagnostics
and using methods such as magnetic resonance venography, intravascular ultrasound
or digital phlebography, we diagnose pathologies such as venous compression syndromes (e.g. May-Thurner syndrome), varicose veins, post-thrombotic syndromes or various vascular anomalies in the venous system on a daily basis
- Dr Cezary Szary from the Department of Phlebology adds.

CONTEMPORARY TREATMENT PHILOSOPHY

The choice of treatment methods for venous insufficiency should always be based on a well-diagnosed cause of its occurrence. The Phlebology Clinic in Warsaw applies the principle that diagnosing the cause as early and accurately as possible allows for effective and minimally invasive treatment.

Modern treatment of venous insufficiency cannot consist solely of removing varicose veins. If pelvic venous insufficiency, venous compression syndrome or testicular vein insufficiency is responsible for the process of their exit, these conditions must be treated first. To do this, we use a whole panel of methods, often combining them with each other - explains Dr Tomasz Grzela.

The added value of contemporary treatments for venous insufficiency, such as embolisation, stenting, gluing or endovascular laser therapy, in addition to their high efficacy, is that it usually takes a few days to return to daily activities after they have been performed.

Successful treatment of venous insufficiency requires first of all diagnosing the problem, understanding the
its mechanism and the choice of an appropriate management strategy - are emphasised in unison by the specialists at the Phlebology Clinic.

Authors: Dr Cezary Szary, Tomasz Grzela, MD, PhD, Dr Justyna Wilczko

This article appeared in Logo magazine in March 2018.