It is estimated that nearly a third of all women experience chronic pelvic pain during their lifetime. Chronic pelvic pain is defined as pain lasting greater than six months.
The condition is notoriously difficult to diagnose because of the absence of any visible abnormalities on routine tests. In the most common situation, a woman experiencing symptoms consistent with pelvic congestion syndrome will have seen several specialists before arriving at a diagnosis. Clearly, a complete evaluation by a gynecologist is primary. Some general clues include chronic pelvic pain that is worse when sitting or standing (similar to varicose veins), relieved with lying down, and the presence of vulvar varicose veins.
The causes of pelvic congestion syndrome
Primary disease is secondary to varicosities in the pelvic and ovarian veins. This is more common with multiparous women, obesity, and genetic
Secondary conditions such as Nutcracker syndrome, May-Thurner Syndrome, and other obstructing syndromes commonly seen at a vein clinic.
Chronic pelvic pain caused by reflux or obstruction of the gonadal, gluteal, or periuterine veins is called pelvic congestion syndrome. Incompetent venous valves in the pelvic veins can lead to reflux and development of pelvic varices. These dilated veins may sometimes be seen with ultrasound, CT, or MRI. These enlarged and abnormal veins are more common on the left, more likely in women who have had multiple pregnancies, and very similar in cause to lower extremity varicose veins.
Ovarian vein embolization is a minimally invasive treatment for pelvic congestion syndrome due to enlarged faulty veins causing congestion and pain. Pelvic congestion syndrome, also known as ovarian vein reflux, is a painful condition resulting from the presence of varicose veins in the pelvis. Similar to varicose veins in the legs , the cause of ovarian vein reflux is due to weakened valves that impair the return of blood to the heart causing bulging veins. The increased pressure inside the pelvic veins leads to typical symptoms of pelvic congestion syndrome including pain. The diagnosis of the pelvic congestion syndrome can be made in one of several ways: pelvic venography, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or pelvic and transvaginal ultrasound.
Pelvic congestion syndrome treatment is divided into medical and procedural. Minimally-invasive vein treatment have supplanted traditional surgery and increased the use and success rates of the curative solutions.
Ovarian Vein Embolization
During this procedure, a vascular specialist performs a minimally-invasive procedures inside a radiology or procedure room. Using a percutaneous technique, a catheter is inserted into the leg vein and guided towards the faulty veins in the pelvics. Using fluroscopic guidance, the catheter is able to deliver coils that seal the faulty vein re-directing blood to the healthier parts of your circulation. Increasingly, vascular surgeon near me are using medicated foam agents to treat even the smallest diseased veins similar to varicose veins in the legs.
The length of the treatment is generally 30 minutes to several hours depending on the complexity of the condition and skill of the vein doctor.
Pros and Cons of Treatment
Pros
Cons
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