Prevalence of Bilateral Greater Saphenous Vein Insufficiency

Abstract

In venous insufficiency states, venous blood escapes from its normal antegrade path of flow and refluxes back down the veins into an already congested leg. Venous insufficiency symptoms are most commonly caused by valvular incompetence in the low-pressure superficial venous system. Patients with venous insufficiency may have signs and symptoms of fatigue, heaviness, aching, cramping, throbbing, itching, lower extremity discoloration, and ulcer. Varicose veins are a sign of underlying venous insufficiency and affect 20–30% of adults. Duplex of the lower extremity venous system to rule out venous insufficiency was performed to determine the prevalence of bilateral great saphenous vein insufficiency in men and women. Great saphenous vein insufficiency is the most common form of venous insufficiency in patients presenting with signs and symptoms.