Superficial Vein Failure

Deep valve failure is very uncommon in humans.

It is much more common for the valves in the SUPERFICIAL veins to stop working and fail.

In this case, during movement, the blood is pumped up both deep and superficial veins during muscles contraction - ie: PUMPING the leg, just as in the normal leg.

When the leg RELAXES, the pumping stops and gravity causes the blood to flow backwards down both deep and superficial vein systems.

The working valves in the deep system stop any back flow down the deep veins.

However, if the valves in the SUPERFICIAL veins are not working blood falls back down the superficial veins that have lost their valves.

As you can see, this actually has a very similar end result to the valves not working in the deep vein system.

Despite this clear parallel, it is a fact that this similarity has not be recognised and understood by doctors and nurses and has resulted in the misunderstanding which has occurred over the last 100 years meaning that leg ulcers, skin changes at the ankle and varicose veins have been treated so badly.

Unfortunately, although increasing numbers of specialists are now starting to understand this, a very large number of doctors and nurses continue to remain ignorant of this mechanism of inflammation caused by valve failure, resulting in the poor treatment of leg ulcers, venous eczema and skin damage that happens because of the valve failure.

The blood falling the wrong way down the veins is said to be 'refluxing'. Hence these conditions are said to be due to 'venous reflux disease'.

If you, or someone you know, are concerned about a leg ulcer or a condition that may lead to leg ulcers then please contact us for more information, or to book an appointment to see one our specialists.