Chronic Venous Insufficiency

Chronic venous insufficiency is a condition in which blood pools in the veins, raising pressure and straining the vein walls, most often in the legs because faulty valves in the surface veins let blood flow backward instead of returning efficiently to the heart. It is more common in women than men, with genetics, smoking, obesity, pregnancy, and prolonged standing as additional risk factors, and when it causes significant symptoms such as swelling or skin ulcers it is classified as chronic venous disease; it is distinguished from post-thrombotic syndrome, which follows a deep vein blood clot rather than a primary valve problem. Many cases respond to treatments aimed at the surface venous system or deep vein stenting, and minimally invasive endovenous laser treatment under local anesthesia is a common way to address the associated varicose veins.