№ 42Thematic Questions22 min read
Types and treatment of venous diseases
1. Big picture
Venous disease is common, but the surgical examiner mainly wants you to separate cosmetic/simple venous disease from limb-threatening or life-threatening venous disease.
The key venous surgery logic is:
1. Is this reflux, obstruction, thrombosis, or infection?
2. Is the deep venous system patent?
3. Is there risk of pulmonary embolism?
4. Is there chronic venous hypertension causing skin damage or ulcer?
5. Is treatment conservative, anticoagulant, endovascular, open surgery, or compression-based?
The most important exam groups are:
| Main group | Examples |
|---|---|
| Superficial venous reflux | Varicose veins, great saphenous vein incompetence |
| Chronic venous insufficiency | Edema, pigmentation, lipodermatosclerosis, venous ulcer |
| Venous thrombosis | Deep vein thrombosis, superficial vein thrombosis |
| Post-thrombotic disease | Chronic obstruction/reflux after DVT |
| Acute venous emergencies | Phlegmasia cerulea dolens, massive pulmonary embolism |
| Congenital/structural disease | Venous malformations, May-Thurner syndrome |
Unlock the rest of this topic
Subscribe to Surgery for $10/month and unlock all 66 topics — full exam-structured notes, the State Exam questions integrated into every topic, and the downloadable Anki deck. Cancel anytime.
- ✓All 66 Surgery topics, exam-structured
- ✓State Exam questions in every topic
- ✓Downloadable Anki deck (.apkg)
- ✓Cancel anytime
A recurring monthly subscription — $10/subject, renews until you cancel. By subscribing you agree to our Terms and Refund Policy, ask us to start access immediately, and accept that you lose your 14-day right of withdrawal once access begins.
Already subscribed? Sign in