Should I have further tests done after ultrasounds showed deep venous insufficiency?
I'm a 35 year old female and my feet have been progressively turning purple. I started noticing this 3 years ago after a cervical spinal fusion. I got the ultrasounds which showed deep venous insufficiency with reflux involving the common femoral vein on the right, and reflux involving the popliteal vein on the left. No evidence of reflux in the superficial veins visualized. ABI for the right was 1.02, 1.05 for the left. TBI for the right 0.69, 0.59 for left. Should I get an MRI or CT done?
Answers from doctors (1)
It is difficult to ascertain what caused your deep vein insufficiency. There is a higher risk of deep vein blood clots with orthopedic surgery and immobility. It is possible you may have had undiagnosed/asymptomatic DVT. This is only speculation. Most likely your treatment will be compression hose to increase the pressure in the the deep veins and improve blood return. Elevating the legs, exercise, hydration and weight loss all help. Your doctor may recommend taking a low dose aspirin daily also - this reduces the platelets sticking. Talk with your doctor about whether additional testing is indicated. You may want a consultation with a vascular surgeon before undergoing these tests.
Published on Jul 11, 2012
