The relation between pelvic varicose veins, chronic pelvic pain and lower extremity venous insufficiency in women.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the frequency of pelvic varicose veins with transvaginal ultrasound and associated lower extremity venous insufficiency with Doppler ultrasound in women with chronic pelvic pain of undetermined origin.


METHODS
A total of 100 women with chronic pelvic pain of undetermined origin lasting more than 6 months were included in the study. The presence of anechogenic and non-pulsatile vascular structures demonstrating flow in Doppler ultrasound with a diameter > 5 mm in parauterine and paraovarian localizations was accepted as pelvic varicose veins. In all patients, lower extremity venous systems were examined with Doppler ultrasound to assess possible associated venous insufficiency. Chi-square test was used for statistical analysis.


RESULTS
Pelvic varicose veins were discovered with transvaginal ultrasound in 30 of 100 patients. This association was shown to be statistically significant. Various degrees of associated lower extremity venous insufficiency were also discovered in 21 of these 30 patients.


CONCLUSIONS
This study has shown that the presence of pelvic varicose veins in women with chronic pelvic pain is not infrequent, and in the majority of cases, they are associated with lower extremity venous insufficiency. Since the diagnosis of lower extremity venous insufficiency plays an important part in deciding the course of treatment, lower extremity Doppler ultrasound must be included in the evaluation when pelvic varicose veins are discovered.
Department of Radiology, Ankara Atatürk Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey. aydinwf@yahoo.com
Neslihan Zehra
NZ
Gültaşli
Aydin
A
Kurt
Ali
A
Ipek
Mehmet
M
Gümüş
Kemal Ridvan
KR
Yazicioğlu
Gülçin
G
Dilmen
Ismet
I
Taş
D000328:Adult; D018618:Echocardiography, Doppler, Color; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D035002:Lower Extremity / Q000098:blood supply; D008875:Middle Aged; D017699:Pelvic Pain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler / Q000379:methods*; D014648:Varicose Veins / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology; D014689:Venous Insufficiency / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology