[Chronic venous insufficiency and compression therapy]

Disorders of venous circulation are among most frequent diseases in the human population. During recent years there has been increased interest in physiopathology of chronic venous insufficiency (CVI), due to development of more accurate diagnostic methods and new therapeutic techniques. Considering patophysiology of CVI and its consequences the crucial points are stasis and reflux of blood flow, with increase of intravascular pressure.

Empirical experience and theoretical models suggest that progression of the disease can be stopped or reverted by correction of stasis. Today, this is the main direction in all therapeutic approaches. Compression therapy represents the most successful conservative technique. In this article we are presenting basic principles of the compression therapy of CVI. Evidence for the physiologic effect of compression therapy are decrease of edema, softening of lipodermatosclerosis, acceleration of venous flow, decrease in venous volume, blood shift into central compartments, reduction of venous refluxes, influence on arterial flow and improvement of microcirculation and lymph drainage. There are several types of compression devices: elastic stockings, elastic bandages, inelastic bandages, intermittent pneumatic compression devices. Other advantages of compression therapy are decrease of hospital treatment and better quality of life for patients with CVI.