Living with CVI
What is CVI?
Chronic Venous Insufficiency (CVI) is a form of venous disease that occurs in one or both legs when the valves within your veins become permanently damaged and no longer function properly.
These valves help blood flow back to your heart. When they become damaged or stop working correctly, blood isn’t returned to the heart effectively. As a result, blood pools and increases pressure in the veins of the legs.
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%
Of patients have unhealed CVI-related leg ulcers.
%
Of patients treated for CVI-related venous ulcers experience ulcer recurrence within one year.
Severe CVI
While CVI affects up to 3.5 million people in the United States alone, nearly 1.5 million are diagnosed with severe CVI.
Risk factors for severe CVI, which is a debilitating disease, include venous valve dysfunction, deep vein thromboses or post-thrombotic syndrome, lack of exercise and smoking.
Symptoms
CVI can be mild or severe and gets worse over time. If it’s bad, you might notice:
◉ Achey or tired legs
◉ Heavy feeling in your legs
◉ Skin color changes
◉ Pain
◉ Flaky or itchy skin
◉ Burning feeling
◉ Sores on your legs that are slow to heal
Symptoms of severe CVI include:
◉ Leg swelling
◉ Edema
◉ Severe pain
◉ Recurrent open sores known as venous ulcers
Causes
CVI can be mild or severe and gets worse over time. If it’s bad, you might notice:
Primary CVI
The valves are damaged for an unknown reason– some people are born with it.
Secondary CVI
The valves are damaged from a known event, like a blod clot or injury.
Blood clots in the leg veins are a common cause. These clots are called deep vein thromboses (DVTs).
Diagnosis
To find out if you have CVI, your physician will conduct a CVI workup, which is a complete evaluation that combines a clinical assessment with imaging and other diagnostic tests to accurately diagnose and assess the severity of your CVI.
For the CVI workup, your vein doctor will:
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Ask about your medical history
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Check your legs
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Do a test to see how blood is flowing in your legs
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Use ultrasound to look at your veins
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Inject dye into your veins for a special X-ray
A Typical Specialist Team
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Treatments
There are different ways to treat CVI, depending on how severe it is.
✓ Medicine
There are different ways to treat CVI, depending on how severe it is.
✓ Compression and Lifestyle Changes
For mild cases, you can wear special socks, raise your legs and exercise.
✓ Wound Care
If you have sores, you might need special bandages or skin grafts
✓ Vein Treatment
For severe deep CVI, a doctor might use heat, cold or chemicals to close off damaged veins.
✓ Medicine
For patients with severe deep CVI in the deep veins.
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Patient Journey
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PATIENT STORY
Sam's Journey to Mobility
"I'd forgotten what it felt like to live without pain."
Sam was diagnosed with severe CVI after years of dealing with painful leg ulcers and constant fatigue. They tried compression therapy and medication, but nothing truly eased the discomfort. Sam’s doctor recommended VenoValve as a potential solution. Since the procedure, Sam has noticed a significant decrease in swelling and has been able to get back to gardening– something they thought they’d never do again.
“I’m rediscovering the little joys– like walking to the park without stopping every few minutes.”
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