The apparatus consist of Velcro cuffs with inbuilt air bags attached to a pneumatic pump by a long tube. The cuffs can be placed around the calf or foot depending on the venous segment under investigation. The inflation pressure is selected manually (usually 120 mmHg) and can be maintained until the deflation switch is activated… Read More »
This was named after Antonio Maria Valsalva from the 17th Century. This is a manoeuvre which increases the intra-abdominal pressure by straining against a closed glottis. It is a powerful stimulus of retrograde flow within the intra-abdominal and pelvic veins. This is in direct contrast to the other challenge tests which augment antegrade flow and… Read More »
This is the oldest of the challenge tests. It describes an elevation-dependency manoeuvre with the application of a tourniquet around the leg. Venous refilling (reflux) can be assessed visually by assessing the time taken for the varicosities to distend. In the classic test the leg is first elevated. An upper-thigh tourniquet is applied to occlude… Read More »
This is an abbreviation for Ambulatory Venous Pressure and its measurement is considered the gold standard investigation in the assessment of chronic venous insufficiency (CVI). This relies on the hypothesis that increased venous pressures over time causes the discomfort and skin changes associated with CVI. The pressure is caused by the failure of the anti-gravitational mechanisms of the leg. This… Read More »
This is an abbreviation for the Venous Clinical Severity Score. It is a physician’s reporting instrument designed to record the severity of venous disorder. It is a questionnaire comprised of 10 clinical attributes. Each attribute generates 4 questions which represent 4 increasing levels of severity ranging from 0 to 3. Thus the total score ranges from 0 to a maximum… Read More »
CEAP is a classification system for chronic venous disorder and an abbreviation for Clinical, Etiologic, Anatomic and Pathophysiologic. It was created by the American Venous Forum in 1994 with a first revision performed in 2004. The C part of CEAP, the clinical part, should be used in all studies to define the patient population under investigation. It is intended to… Read More »