Clinical study of varicose veins of lower limbs

Abstract

Background: Varicose veins of the lower extremities are one of the most common peripheral vascular diseases and calls for treatment due to the morbidity and economic impact due to loss of productivity and work hours. Therefore, the present study has been undertaken evaluate the various clinical aspects of varicose veins of lower limb of the patients.

Methods: The clinical study and observations in this study were based on a clinical proforma which included the determination of Ratio of varicose veins to the total number of cases with vascular complaints, type of vascular complaints, The relationship between the age of the patient and the disease, The sex ratio, The relationship of occupation and the disease, The different presenting complaints, The venous system involved, The limb involved and predisposing factors in the Patients with Varicose Veins.

Results: Out of the 382 patients admitted with vascular complaints, only 42 cases were afflicted with varicose veins of the lower extremities. Maximum incidence was in the age group 21-40 years (61.9%). Male preponderance was observed. The most common presenting complaint was pain which varied from dragging pain to night cramps associated with heaviness of the limbs.

Conclusions: Our study reveals that the disease is most prevalent in the 2nd and 3rd decades of life. Most of the patients had long saphenous vein involvement while short saphenous vein was involved in 3 cases and 4 cases had involvement of both venous systems. Many of the patients had perforator incompetency indicating advanced hemodynamic malfunction. Therefore, it was concluded that occupation involving prolonged standing and/ or violent muscular contractions contribute to or precipitate varicose veins if not actually cause them.