Chronic Venous Insufficiency (CVI)

What is chronic venous insufficiency?

Chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) is a condition that causes the valves in your veins to malfunction and leads to pooling of blood in the veins of your legs and sometimes your arms. When these valves malfunction, they stop pumping blood from your veins toward your heart.

What causes chronic venous insufficiency?

CVI is caused by valve dysfunction, which can be inherited, and damage to the valves after a deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or blood clot. DVT and blood clots can completely block the blood flow in a vein, leading to stretching of the blood vessel walls and a breakdown of the valves.

In many cases, CVI is a chronic issue that responds well to treatment. However, it can recur and cause problems in other areas of a vein.

What are the signs of chronic venous insufficiency?

In most cases, the symptoms of CVI are mild and not dangerous. However, discomfort and cosmetic imperfections are common reasons to seek treatment. Signs of CVI include:

• A heavy feeling in the legs
• Swelling in the legs
• Pain in the legs
• Sores or ulcers near the affected vein
• Varicose veins

While symptoms are most common in the legs, they can also appear in the arms.

How is chronic venous insufficiency diagnosed?

Because CVI is a common condition, non-invasive procedures have been developed to prevent discomfort during diagnosis. The gold standard for diagnosis is duplex ultrasound testing. The team uses this type of testing to visualize the valves in your veins to determine whether they’re working properly.

In advanced cases of CVI that have spread to other areas, the team uses a CT scan to visualize blood vessels near organs, including the abdomen, to check for vein narrowing or blockage.

All standard testing is performed in the office for your convenience and to provide treatment as quickly as possible.

How is chronic venous insufficiency treated?

CVI treatment depends on the severity of your condition. In the early stages, wearing compression garments can reduce your symptoms and promote wound healing. If veins close to the skin are affected or you develop varicose veins, the team offers minimally invasive ablation treatments. Stenting is available for deeper veins, if needed.

To learn more about CVI, schedule a visit at Coastal Heart Medical Group online or by phone.