DEFINITION:
Varicose veins are large, ropy, and twisting blue vessels which appear in the skin anywhere from the thigh to the foot. They are most often the result of leaking and incompetent valves in the superficial saphenous veins. These abnormal valves allow blood to flow retrograde back down the legs and into all of the skin veins. The repeated reflux causes high vein pressures, resulting in veins which enlarge and twist over time. Leg pain associated with varicose veins is usually due to swelling of the veins and of the surrounding tissues. Phlebitis develops when one or more of these veins develop a blood clot, usually when the patient is inactive. A painful and red lump where varicose veins are located is nearly always a sign of phlebitis.
DIAGNOSIS:
Diagnosis of vein abnormalities can be difficult and requires special expertise. A well trained vascular ultrasonographer must perform the diagnostic ultra- sound evaluation of every major leg vein in our patients. Our sonographers have many years of experience, and are able to identify the cause of vein incompetence in all of our patients. Our doctors perform the physical examinations, and then correlate symptoms, physical examination findings, and the ultrasound analysis to make the proper diagnosis and treatment recommendations.
