Chronic Venous Insufficiency and Management.

Chronic venous insufficiency is common and is associated with progressive leg discomfort, heaviness, edema, discoloration and ulceration, and venous obstruction, reflux, or both. Venous insufficiency and varicose veins are widespread and are common in Western countries. Risk factors include age, female gender, positive family history, pregnancy and parity, obesity, prolonged standing, and history of deep vein thrombosis. Chronic venous disease is the leading etiology of leg ulcers, which are associated with poor quality of life. Compression, pharmacologic therapy, and catheter-based techniques have shown promise for deep vein recanalization, closure of incompetent superficial veins, and elimination of varicose veins.