Vascular diseases are a fairly common phenomenon that can happen to everyone. Like many other diseases, varicose veins have its own stages, and if the initial manifestations of pathology are more often accompanied by discomfort, the last stage is dangerous not only for health, but also for human life. To avoid the onset of such serious consequences as, for example, disability and others, it is necessary to know the main features of the manifestation of varicose veins, its development and ways to prevent its complications.
The concept of varicose veins
Varicose veins are a disease that affects the muscle and connective tissue layer of the vascular wall, as well as their valve apparatus. As a result, the veins are expanded, blood circulation in this place, the reverse blood of blood through the vessels.
Most people know about varicose veins on their feet. But there are other localizations of the disease, since the vessels can be affected in any part of the body.
Most often, in medical practice, varicose veins of the pelvic organs (bladder, uterus), perineum (scrotum, rectum, vagina) are diagnosed. However, in any case, the clinical picture of the disease depends on the place of damage and the stage of pathology.
Varicose veins in men and its features
At a young age (on average, at 10-12 years old), a young man may encounter a disease such as varicose veins of the veins of the scrotum. In the scientific, this state is called "Varicocele".It can be found during a simple examination and palpation of the scrotum. Clinically varicocele is manifested by a number of symptoms, which include:
- pain in the side or in half the affected scrotum, intensifying after physical activity;
- severity in the testicle;
- infertility.
However, often varicocele may not show itself at all and be identified by accident during a planned examination.
This disease distinguishes three stages:
- Slight expansion of veins, which can be seen when the patient performs the Valsalva sample (straining);
- Veins are visible and palpated in a calm state of the patient;
- The vessels are sharply changed, convincing, filled with blood. The testicle in the area affected by the disease is reduced in size, has a test consistency.
In adult patients, varicose veins of a scrotum are often diagnosed when treating a doctor with complaints of the inability to have a child. There is a theory according to which varicocele affects the fertility (the ability to reproduce offspring) by increasing the temperature inside the scrotum, which adversely affects the testicle and spermatogenesis. Moreover, this type of varicose veins in men is often combined with damage to the vessels on the legs.
Diagnosis of the disease is simple. As mentioned earlier, you can suspect varicose veins of the scrotum on a normal examination, and then an ultrasound study of the vascular beam should be done to confirm. As a treatment method, only surgical intervention is used: the doctor simply ligates varicose veins, blood circulation is carried out according to anastomoses. However, it should be borne in mind that as with varicose veins, the operation does not guarantee complete healing. Moreover, the disease in many cases is recurrent.
Features of varicose veins in women
Pelvic varicose veins.For women, this disease is a risk of inconance of the fetus. As mentioned above, varicose veins can occur on any part of the body, including in the pelvic area. During pregnancy, the situation is aggravated, since, firstly, the vessels of the abdominal cavity are stretched as the fetus grows, and secondly, the uterus increasing in size exerts pressure on them. Due to these processes, blood circulation of the placenta is disturbed, which can lead to its rejection. In this case, of course, the probability of losing a child increases significantly.
Sometimes varicose veins debut during pregnancy.Before the conception, a woman could not at all suspect that she had a tendency to illness. However, during the period of bearing the fetus, the female body is subjected to certain changes in the body that can provoke some diseases, including varicose veins. Such changes include:
- Changing the hormonal background;
- increase in body weight;
- Anatomical changes.
Moreover, the number of births is directly proportional to the risk of earn a subsequent pathology. In addition to pelvic varicose veins, during pregnancy, other complications may occur:
- rupture of uterine veins during childbirth;
- thrombophlebitis;
- dermatitis, trophic ulcers;
- venous deficiency.
Thus, pregnancy is a factor that, unfortunately, can provoke varicose veins, as it contributes to a faster development of pathology and requires preventive measures with a certain diagnosis.
Other consequences of varicose veins
Thrombophlebitis.Often varicose veins and venous deficiency lead to inflammation of the walls of blood vessels - Phlebitis, which can be combined with the formation of blood clots - thrombophlebitis. Basically, this disease affects the vessels of the lower extremities, as a result of which patients complain of severe pain in the affected areas of the legs. Symptoms of a general inflammatory reaction are noted: high temperature, weakness. If treatment is not started on time, the process applies to other veins, the patient's condition worsens.
Thromboembolism.In the presence of thrombophlebitis and varicose veins, there is a risk of severe complication - thromboembolism. It occurs due to the separation of the blood clot from the wall of the vessel, followed by the blockage of the most important trunks that nourish the heart, light and brain.
Initially, a blood clot can be, for example, in the leg (this is the most common). However, from the lower limb, it is forced to move through blood flow to various parts of the body. As a result, falling into smaller branches of the vascular system, the blood clot causes a collapse, as a result of which the blood circulation of the site is disturbed with the appearance of ischemia, and then necrosis. Clinically, this is manifested by a heart attack, a stroke or pulmonary and fat (pulmonary artery thromboembolism), which often ends death.
Treatment of patients who are made of such a diagnosis should be carried out only in intensive care and intensive care units. Measures to provide assistance to the patient in this case should be taken immediately - only in this case the patient has a chance of salvation.
Dermatitis.Most often, this unpleasant complication occurs on the inner surface of the lower leg, manifests itself as a number of symptoms, which include:
- thinning of the skin;
- epidermal pigmentation;
- itching of the affected area;
- the appearance of bubbles that tend to "open", which leads to skin stratification;
- Violation of the sensitivity of the affected area.
Dermatitis does not heal well, can hardly be treated. The presence of a thrombus entails the occurrence of trophic ulcers - sections of death of the skin. In the future, an infection may join ulcers from which purulent wounds may appear.
Telengioectasia.This cosmetic defect, which looks like vascular "stars", is a consequence of ruptures of small surface capillaries and a sign of the initial stage of varicose veins.
Haemorrhoids.This is a very common disease - nothing more than varicose veins of the rectum. It is manifested by the emergence of the so -called hemorrhoidal nodes, which are often able to go out, break and become inflamed. This causes significant concern to patients.
Diagnostic methods
The easiest and most affordable way to detect varicose veins and its complications is the ultrasonic Doppler veins of the lower extremities. In the process of this study, blood flow, blood vessels and the condition of their walls as a whole are evaluated. Thus, the above diagnosis helps to detect blood clots. Moreover, all patients with varicose veins are required to pass Doppler before any surgical intervention in order to exclude the presence of blood clots in order to avoid complications.
In cases where the patient is suspected of venous deficiency or thrombosis, doctors recommend that the X-ray-contrast PhLEBOGRAPHY (the method for evaluating the work of the veins).
To do this, a special serum - albumin is introduced into the vessel, after which an X -ray is taken, on which impulses coming from veins will be registered. Then the result is evaluated.
You can complete the examination with computed tomography with the contrast of military trunks. This method is the most accurate, but more expensive. Nevertheless, this method of diagnosis allows not only to identify vascular diseases, but also to evaluate the condition of other body systems and tissues.
Treatment of complications
Therapy for the consequences of varicose veins depends on the current state of the patient and, directly, the type of complication. Thus, thrombophlebitis requires the prescription of blood-aging, anti-inflammatory drugs, antibiotics, painkillers. As the inflammatory process subsides, physiotherapy, hirudotherapy (treatment with leeches) are recommended. An operation can be proposed as etiotropic treatment - ligation and removal of vein.
Trophic ulcers are poorly treated.The surgeon removes the areas of necrosis, prescribes dressings with an antiseptic and ointments. Together with these manipulations, antibacterial therapy and blood flow in Vienna are carried out.
Vascular stars are eliminated by sclerotherapy, that is, the so -called "gluing" of the lumen of the veins. After the procedure, wearing compression linen for relapse prevention is prescribed.
Other complications, such as hemorrhoids, varicocele, and a varicose veins of the pelvis can only be cured surgically after a thorough examination and identify the affected vein.
Forecast
An unfavorable prognosis is observed in the case of thromboembolism of the pulmonary artery, the number of deaths in which reaches 75%. Also, thrombophlebitis with trophic lesions of the skin has a non -encouraging characteristic, since with such a disease persistent changes in blood vessels occur, and the risk of infection is also increased, which leads to a number of complications. The consequences of the disease can often lead the patient to disability.
Indications for the provision of a patient for disability are:
- the presence of thrombosis and transferred thromboembolism;
- recurrent erysipelas;
- posttrombophlebitical syndrome;
- Ineffective surgical treatment.
Most often, disability is given to patients with the last stage of varicose veins with a persistent impaired performance.