Vascular and IR Flashcards
What is Venous insufficiency? Potential causes?
The loss of a drop in pressure from stationary to mobile in the veins. This may be due to
- Venous valve incompetency
- Deep venous occlusion
- Calf muscle pump failure
- Immobility
- Depp/Superficial venous reflux
- Obesity
- Dependency
What is the result of venous insufficiency?
Venous hypertension
- varicose veins
What is Varicose veins?
A vein which has permanently lost its valvular efficiency and as a result of continuous dilation under pressure, in the course of time it becomes elongated, tortuous, pouched and thickened
What are complications of great/small saphenous vein varices
Ischemic damage (hemosiderin deposition, skin thickening) on the ankle and the foot over time
What is this an image off, explain their occurrence.
Lateral perforates may be damaged
Reticular veins exist in embryological development and then their role is taken over by the saphenous veins however this may not have occurred after the fact.
No real medical problem, may be of cosmetic concern for some
Thigh reflux pattern of presentation
- Varicose veins in the lateral and pelvic areas due to incompetency in the anterior accessory (saphenous) thigh vein ( joins in the groin in the saphenofemoral junction
- Pelvic congestion syndrome.Pudendal Vein Reflux: seen in women in their 30’s)
- may be important as veins in the retroperitoneal area becoming incompetent’s
- Ovarian vein, vulva and vaginal veins
- can cause pain and heavy menstrual bleeding
- pain during intercourse
- feeling of bloating and discomfort
- can be associated with hemorrhoids
- may be important as veins in the retroperitoneal area becoming incompetent’s
What is pelvic congestion syndrome?
symptoms?
- Pudendal Vein Reflux: seen in women in their 30’s - young pre-menopausal)
- may be important as veins in the retroperitoneal area becoming incompetent’s
- Ovarian vein, vulva and vaginal veins
- can cause pelvic pain, non-cyclical postural back pain
- heavy menstrual bleeding
- pain during intercourse
- feeling of bloating and discomfort
- can be associated with hemorrhoids
- may be important as veins in the retroperitoneal area becoming incompetent’s
What is the treatment/managment for pelvic congestion?
- MR venography/ transvaginal US
- Endovascular therapy - more effective than surgery
Give examples of complex patterns of reflux
- Combined deep and superficial reflux
- combined superficial reflux with deep obstruction
- Klippel-Trelaunay syndrome
- increased arterial flow to the vein → hypertrophy of the limb
- Park-Weber syndrome
- above the limb hypertrophy and AVMS
What is the CEAP classification?
Classification of Varicose veins
-
Clinical (C0-C6)
- 0 - no visible venous disease
- 1 - reticular veins and thread veins
- 2 - varicose veins
- 3 - oedema
- 4 - skin changes
- 5 - healed ulceration
- 6 - active ulceration
- Etiology (primary vs secondary)
- Anatomy (location eg. deep)
- Pathophysiology (reflux obstruction)
What is the management for the C1 stage of the CEAP classification
Causes/Symptoms?
C1 - is reticular or thread veins
- Treatable: yes
- Cosmetic
- improves QoL
- Could be secondary to underlying superficial or deep venous pathology.
- Lateral cutaneous plexus often involved.
- Veins can be sizeable.
- Can be quite painful.
What is the management for the C2 stage of the CEAP classification
Causes/Symptoms?
C2- is varicose veins
- elevation, exercise and weight loss
- compression stockings
- !not in pregnancy!
- endothermal ablation
- US-guided foam sclerotherapy
- Surgery
What is the management for the C3 stage of the CEAP classification
Causes/Symptoms?
C3- Oedema
- not automatically treated on the NHS - needs to be referred
- compression
- and managing underlying damage/pathology
What is the management for the C4 stage of the CEAP classification
Causes/Symptoms?
C4- Skin changes: Lipodermatosclerosis, pigmentation, haemosiderin deposition, eczema, atrophy blanche
- treat condition topically and treat underlying disease
- refer for assessment and treatment
- can also cause lose of motion
What is the management for the C5 stage of the CEAP classification
Causes/Symptoms?
C5 - healed ulceration
- treatable on the NHS
- the healed site is where the increased venous pressure has caused ulceration
- could prevent ulcer recurrence
What is the management for the C6 stage of the CEAP classification
Causes/Symptoms?
C6 - Active Ulceration
- mostly seen in elderly patients with reduced increased sedentary behavior
What are the symptoms of Varicose veins
- Heaviness or tension
- Feeling of swelling
-
Aching (W:53.8%)(M:32.5%)
- usually in the evening
- Restless legs (W:35.1% )(M:20%)
- Cramps (W:42%)(M:34%)
- Itching
- Tingling
What are complications of Varicose veins
- Phlebitis - 20%
- Bleeding - 3%
- usually on people on anticoagulants → Elevation
- Skin changes - 25%
- Ulceration - 5-10%
What points are important in a history to rule out varicose veins/ venous insufficiency?
- Symptoms
- Timing/ nocturnal etc
- Predisposing factors
- Alleviating factors
- Family history
- Cosmetic concerns
- Previous treatment
- Medical history
- Previous DVT
- Medical issues: Diabetes, anticoagulants
What points are important on examination of a patient with suspected varicose veins or venous insufficiency?
-
Inspection
- Site of varicosities
- Signs of venous hypertensive complications
- Eczema, oedema, ulceration
- Scars from previous surgery
- Muscle wasting. Immobility
-
Palpate
- Arterial pulses (IMP)
- may use a doppler to hear pedal pulses
- Tenderness, lumpiness
- Arterial pulses (IMP)
-
Control at saphenofemoral junction or saphenopopliteal junction (SFJ /SPJ)
- Supine vs standing
-
Percussion–Tapping test
- finger on SFJ, lightly tap the varicose vein on one end - a thrill will be felt if there is continuity in this vein up to the SFJ due to insufficiency.
-
Auscultation
- Trill or bruit over SFJ
- Auscultation for reflux using hand-held Doppler
What investigation is carried out to check for varicose veins/ venous insufficiency?
Gold standard - Duplex US scan
- confirms or establishes source of reflux
- provides roadmap
- assesses the deep veins
- allows planning of treatment - guides treatment
Explain Disconnection surgery for varicose veins
Procedure/ recovery
Complications
- High ties at groin.
- Usually combined with stripping.
- Traditional method
- Still valuable in some instances.
- Mainly under GA
- Recovery (1-2 wks)
- Complications
- Bleeding / Bruising
- Infection / Swelling
- Nerve Injury
- DVT
What are the Endovenous therapies for varicose veins
Laser (EVLT) vs Radiofrequency Ablation (EVRFA)
This is the first line of intervention for confirmed varicose veins or truncal reflux
Explain EVRFA (endovenous radiofrequency ablation) for varicose veins
Procedure/ recovery
Complications
- No Groin Incision
- uses a ultrasound guided venous catheter to gain access the vein, numb the vein lignocaine w/ adrenaline, separate vein from surrounding structures by using fluid , compress vein and heat the vein closing it as you go along
- Recovery (1-3 Days)
- (89% Normal activity in 24hrs)
- Complications: Rare
- Bleeding / Bruising
- Infection / Nerve Injury
- Swelling / Burns / DVT
- Results
- Success (85%-100%)
- 5yrs (85%)
Explain conventional Sclerotherpay
- Thread vein injection
- intradermal varicose veins
- conventionally used for isolated veins
Explain US-guided Foam injection Sclerotherapy
- NICE; offered if EVRFA or EVLT is unsuitable
- Foam injected under direct ultrasound guidance.
- slowly, never more than 12mls
- Used for truncal veins.
- Some limitations.
- Size of vein.
- Volume of foam (complications).
- Staged procedure.
-
Complications
- Phlebitis
- Pigmentation
Explain Cyanoacrylate ebolisation
The use of glue through a catheter to embolize the vein
- avoids tumescence and avoids risk of foam embolization, non-thermal approacj.
Explain the Management of Venous Ulcers
Accurate assessment → Debridement and sensible dressing → compression therapy → treat the underlying problem
Underlying problems: venous problem, patient medical problems, look at social issues, mobility, nutrition
How would you assess a venous ulcer?
- look at exudate on dressing,
- assesses tissue- is it necrotic
- look at ulcer base
- granulating, sloughy, dry and fibrous?
- Ulcer Edge
- sloping, elevated, punched out, dry and fibrosed
- surrounding evidence of venous insufficiency
How would you assess if there is an arterial component to the venous issue?
- ABPI correlates well with angiography and symptoms.
- highest systolic pressure in the arm (brachial artery) versus the highest systolic pressure in the lower limb (interior posterior tibular)
- Normal ABI:
- 1.0 – 1.2(supine)
- Muscular augmentation
- Summation of pressure waves.
- 0.5 – 0.8 claudicants
- <0.5 SCLI
- <0.3 CLI
What types of Non-Adhesive dressings are there? examples (4)
Absorbent dressingsHydrocolloids, Alginates, foams
Impregnated dressings
Inadine, Silver, MMP inhibitors, Leptospermum honey (antimicrobial effect)
Specialist dressings
Negative suction, superabsorbent particles.
Biologic
Skin, dermal substitutes
Explain Compression therapy and its role in managing ulcers and venous insufficiency
Diminishes leg vein distension and stasis.
Cuts down on inflammation.
Diminishes oedema
Improves tissue perfusion and transfer.
Improves overall venous function.
? Improves venous pump function.
What types of Deep Venous disease is there?
Deep venous thrombosis
Pulmonary embolization
Venous infarction
Chronic sequelae
Post-thrombotic syndrome
Pulmonary hypertension
Explain the origin of a DVT
Virchow’s triad:
- Changes to flow
- Immobility
- Perioperative, paralysis.
- Extrinsic vessel compression.
- Changes to blood coaguability
- Thrombophilia, severe dehydration
- Malignancy, sepsis, Covid-19.
- Drugs such as COC
- Changes to Vessel Wall
- Deep vessel injection (eg IVDU)
- Trauma
How is a DVT Diagnosed?
Clinical features: History, Clinical features, Wells Score
D-dimer testing
Duplex US scanning
What are the vascular aspects of Covid-19
Significantly increased risk of thrombosis
Likely due to direct endothelial cell infection
Platelet aggregation and activation
Increased arterial and venous thrombosis
Increased risk of Stroke, critical limb and mesenteric ischaemia
Patients are prothrombotic.
Benefit in continuing statin therapy.
Digital manifestations of mild or asymptomatic Covid-19
Covid fingers or covid toes (chilblains)
What is the Preventative Management of a DVT
Prevent it by risk assessing a patient
- Perioperative prophylaxis
- Mechanical
- TEDs
- Active intermittent mechanical compression
- Early mobilization
- Coagualibility
- LMWH prophylaxis
- good hydration
- correct any risk factors (COC, smoking)
*
- Mechanical
How do you manage an insitu DVT?
Anticoagulation
Heparin/LMWH
DOAC eg Rivaroxaban/ Apixiban.
Warfarin (monitoring required).
Compression hosiery
2 weeks minimum.
Longer if still symptomatic.
Ensure sufficient arterial supply and healthy enough skin.
Explain how thrombolysis works?
Catheter directed thrombolysis: in the iliofemoral vein only
- mechanical clot disruption/ aspiration
- Pharmacological lysis agents
- Alteplase (tissue plasminogen activator)
Explain the occurrence of Post-thrombotic syndrome?
- some patients can experience swelling, skin changes following a DVT
- 20-50% of patients experience this after a symptomatic DVT
- 5-10% suffer from severe PTS with features of advanced chronic venous insufficiency
- Can have severe impact on QoL
- can cause severe pain ulceration in young patients
Explain the pathophysiology of Post-thrombotic syndrome
- Obstruction at key points
- Reflux: loss of valvular integrity.
- Ambulatory venous hypertension.
- Triggering of inflammation: PAIN.
- Reduced calf perfusion with tissue hypoxia.
- Increased tissue permeability: Oedema
- Progressive pump dysfunction.
- The quicker the clot resolution, the less collateral damage.