VERICOSE VEIN

Shanavas .p.h
MSc Nursing
Staff nurse ,DH Palakkad
Introduction
Definition

• Dilated swelled leg veins with back flow of blood caused by incompetent
valve closure which results in the vein congestion and vein enlargement

• Usually affects the saphenous vein and its branches

Types of varicose vein
• Primary
• Secondary
Risk factors
• Genetics
• Age /gender
• Pregnancy
• Over weight ,obesity
• Posture
Causes
• Congential absent or defective venous valve
• Elevation of venous pressure
• Incompetent valve
• Chronic systemic diseases
• Infections /trauma
Pathophysiology
• Incomptent valves causes reverse blood flow
•
Diagnosis
• Appearance
• Hand held Doppler examination
• Duplex ultrasonography
• Trendlenberg test
Conservative management

• Elevation of bed

• Avoid prolonged sitting or standing

• Compression stockings

• Exercise

• Reduce weight
Sclerotherapy
Vein stripping and ligation
Laser therapy
Endovenous ablation therapy
Complications
• Superficial thrombophlebitis

• Lipodermatosclerosis

• Venous ulceration

• Venous eczema
Quiz
• Are varicose veins painful ?
a) Yes
b) No
c) Sometimes
• Varicose veins start because of problems with your _______.
a) Kidneys
b) Blood Valves
c) Heart
d) Leg Muscles
e) Veins
• Are varicose veins only in the legs and feet?
a) No
b) Yes
• Why do women get varicose veins so much more than men?
a) Because they have thicker blood
b) Because of hormonal changes
c) Because their blood circulates more slowly
d) Because more of their body fat is distributed in the legs
• If I have family members who have varicose veins, am I able to prevent developing
the condition myself?

a) No

b) Yes
• patient with varicose veins has been prescribed compression stockings. How
should the nurse teach the patient to use these?
• a) “As much as possible, try to keep your stockings on 24 hours a day.”
• b) “While you’re still lying in bed in the morning, put on your stockings.”
• c) “Dangle your feet at your bedside for 5 minutes before putting on your
stockings.”
• d) “Your stockings will be most effective if you can remove them for a few minutes
several times a day.”