Op. Dr. Orhan Coşkun
In women, varicose veins in the genital area can be associated with the number of childbirths. Often, the cause is revealed through dull abdominal pain, pain occurring with menstruation or sexual intercourse, and the appearance of dilated veins on the genital organs (vulva-vagina).
Unfortunately, many women in our country do not share these complaints with their doctors, leading to the disease presenting itself in advanced stages. Patients may endure years of abdominal pain, menstrual pain, or painful sexual intercourse without seeking medical attention.
These patients also have a high likelihood of concomitant leg varicose veins.
The cause of the disease is often insufficient valves in the abdominal veins (usually the left ovarian vein) or vascular blockages and constrictions.
The primary choice for diagnosing the disease is the evaluation of abdominal veins with Doppler Ultrasound. Sometimes ultrasound alone may not be sufficient for diagnosis. In such cases, advanced methods like MRI and CT may be necessary.
Another diagnostic method used is venography, a form of angiography, which provides a visual of the structure of the veins and allows simultaneous treatment.
As in any treatment, the first priority is to address the underlying cause, followed by eliminating the effects of the disease. Therefore, the insufficient vein in the patient should first be closed with an embolization procedure, and then the veins observed in the vagina-vulva-groin area should be treated with the foam-sclerotherapy method.
