Venous and Lymphatic Disease Flashcards
What is a Varicose Vein
Dilated and tortuous and most commonly found in the lower limbs
Anatomy Landmarks (3)
Long Saphenous Vein
Saphenofemoral Junction
Short Saphenous Vein
What drains the LSC
Dorsal venous arch
Where does the dorsal venous arch pass
Anterior to the medial malleolus, up the medial aspect of the leb
Where is the Saphenofemoral Junction found
2.5cm below and lateral to the pubic tubercle
What happens at the Saphenofemoral Junction
LSV perforates the cribiform fascia and empties into the femoral vein (deep vein)
What drains to SSV
Plantar venous arch
Where does the plantar venous arch pass
Travels posterior to the lateral malleolus, up the posterior aspect of the leg and drains the popliteal vein (deep system)
What 3 things are required to assist low flow against gravity back to the heart
Valves
Calf muscle
Perforating veins to drain blood into deep systems
Causes of valvular failure
Surgical or traumatic disruption of valve
DVT
Hormonal changes
Large pelvic tumour
How does DVT cause valvular failure
can initially cause obstruction to venous flow and even as the vein re-canalises through the thrombus, this canal will be a high-pressure avlvular channel
How can hormonal changes cause valvular failure (2)
Hormonal changes in pregnancy can cause weakness of the veins and valves, leading to venous incompetence. The enlarges uterus can cause mechanical obstruction to the venous flow within the deep system
How can a large pelvic tumour causes valvular failure
Large pelvic tumour also could lead to increased pressure within the distal venous system
Once the valve has failed what happens t the pressure and size of the vein
Pressure increases
Dilatation of distal vein
Risk Factors (6)
- Age
- Female
- Pregnancies
- DVT
- Standing for long periods of time
- Family history
Diagnosis (History) (11)
- Burning
- Itching
- Heaviness
- Tightness
- Swelling
- Discolouration
- Phlebitis
- Bleeding
- Disfiguration
- Eczema
- Ulceration
Diagnosis (Examination)
Look and feel
Diagnosis (Special tests) (4)
Tap Test
Trendelenburg/Tourniquet
Doppler
US
Tap Test (2)
- Place one hand over the Saphenofemoral junction and one over the saphenous vein above the knee
- Tap the Saphenofemoral junction and a transmitted impulse at the knee indicates an incompetence of the valves between the two hands
Trendelenburg/Tourniquet Test (5)
- Lie patient flat
- Raise leg to drain superficial veins and stroking the veins toward the trunk
- Apply pressure over the Saphenofemoral junction and maintain pressure while asking the patient to stand up
- If the varicose veins don’t dilate at standing you are preventing backflow of blood
- Tourniquet: repeating the test at 10cm intervals down the leg to find the level of incompetence
Doppler (4)
- Hold doppler probe over the Saphenofemoral junction
- Squeeze the calf muscles
- In a patient with competent superficial veins you will hear a whoosh of blood flowing into the deep system
- In patients with an incompetent Saphenofemoral junction you will hear two waves as the blood flows upwards and then refluxes back down
Ultrasound
Can demonstrate valves, the anatomy of varicose veins and be used to show dynamic blood flow (reflux)