Anatom3DChronic venous insufficiency
Insufficientia venosa chronica · Chronická žilní nedostatečnost
What it is
Long-standing venous back-pressure damages the skin of the lower leg.
Symptoms & signs
- Ankle swelling
- brown skin staining
- itching
- hard woody skin
- venous ulcers over the ankle
🚩 Get help if…
- call 112 / 911 now Sudden breathlessness or chest pain
- see a doctor soon Swollen, painful, hot calf on one side
- see a doctor soon Leg ulcer that grows, smells or won't heal
- see a doctor soon Spreading redness and warmth with fever
Where it strikes
Medical treatment
- Graduated compression 30–40 mmHg
- vein ablation
- pentoxifylline
- ulcer dressings
Natural & lifestyle
- Leg elevation above the heart
- calf pump exercise
- weight loss
- skin care and emollients
Emerging & experimental
- Deep vein valve reconstruction
- bioengineered skin grafts
Alternative, off-label & anecdotal
Approaches used outside the guidelines, with what their supporters report and what testing has found so far.
- Horse chestnut seed extract — trials show less swelling and pain trials support
- Micronised flavonoids (diosmin) — faster venous ulcer healing in trials mixed evidence
- Pycnogenol — small trials, less swelling mixed evidence
- Honey dressings on ulcers — traditional; trials disagree anecdotal / traditional
ICD codes
- ICD-10 I87.2
- ICD-11 BD74.Z Chronic peripheral venous insufficiency of lower extremities, unspecified