Venous stasis, or venostasis, is a condition of slow

blood Blood is a body fluid in the circulatory system of humans and other vertebrates that delivers necessary substances such as nutrients and oxygen to the cells, and transports metabolic waste products away from those same cells. Blood is com ...

flow in the

vein Veins () are blood vessels in the circulatory system of humans and most other animals that carry blood towards the heart. Most veins carry deoxygenated blood from the tissues back to the heart; exceptions are those of the pulmonary and feta ...

s, usually of the legs.

Presentation

Complications

Potential complications of venous stasis are: *

Venous ulcer Venous ulcer is defined by the American Venous Forum as "a full-thickness defect of skin, most frequently in the ankle region, that fails to heal spontaneously and is sustained by chronic venous disease, based on venous duplex ultrasound testing ...

s *

Blood clot A thrombus ( thrombi) is a solid or semisolid aggregate from constituents of the blood (platelets, fibrin, red blood cells, white blood cells) within the circulatory system during life. A blood clot is the final product of the blood coagulatio ...

formation in veins (

venous thrombosis Venous thrombosis is the blockage of a vein caused by a thrombus (blood clot). A common form of venous thrombosis is deep vein thrombosis (DVT), when a blood clot forms in the deep veins. If a thrombus breaks off ( embolizes) and flows to the lu ...

), that can occur in the deep veins of the legs (

deep vein thrombosis Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a type of venous thrombosis involving the formation of a blood clot in a deep vein, most commonly in the legs or pelvis. A minority of DVTs occur in the arms. Symptoms can include pain, swelling, redness, and enl ...

, DVT) or in the superficial veins *

Id reaction ID or its variants may refer to: * Identity document, a document used to verify a person's identity * Identifier, a symbol which uniquely identifies an object or record People * I. D. Ffraid (1814–1875), Welsh poet and Calvinistic Methodist mi ...

Causes

Causes of venous stasis include: * Obesity * Pregnancy * Previous damage to leg * Blood clot * Smoking * Swelling and inflammation of a vein close to the skin *

Congestive heart failure Heart failure (HF), also known as congestive heart failure (CHF), is a syndrome caused by an impairment in the heart's ability to fill with and pump blood. Although symptoms vary based on which side of the heart is affected, HF typically pr ...

. * Long periods of immobility that can be encountered from driving, flying, bed rest/hospitalization, or having an

orthopedic cast An orthopedic cast, commonly referred to simply as a cast, is a form of medical treatment used to immobilize and support bones and soft tissues during the healing process after fractures, surgeries, or severe injuries. By restricting movement, ...

. Recommendations by clinicians to reduce venous stasis and

DVT/PE Venous thrombosis is the blockage of a vein caused by a thrombus (blood clot). A common form of venous thrombosis is deep vein thrombosis (DVT), when a blood clot forms in the deep veins. If a thrombus breaks off ( embolizes) and flows to the lun ...

often encourage increasing walking, calf exercises, and

intermittent pneumatic compression Intermittent pneumatic compression is a therapeutic technique used in medical devices that include an air pump and inflatable auxiliary sleeves, gloves or boots in a system designed to improve venous circulation in the limbs of patients who have ede ...

when possible. * Weakened Venous valves: these are crucial towards ensuring upward flow to the heart from the lower extremities. If weakened, they may fail to close properly which leads to backwards blood flow/blood pooling. This can lead to slower blood flow in the veins. Ultrasonography-Doppler ultrasound

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Venous Stasis Diseases of veins, lymphatic vessels and lymph nodes Vascular surgery Preventive medicine

Presentation

Complications

Causes

See also

References