Pelvic Veins

Pelvic venous congestion syndrome

Occasionally, PVC also contributes to varicose veins in the legs, but it is actually quite rare that this is a significant cause that needs treating to control leg varicose veins. If you are told you require this then please ask us for a second opinion as it is often advised but unnecessary

The valve failure in pelvic veins causes dilation (swelling) of these veins, which in turn results in the following symptoms:

• A painful/dragging sensation in the lower abdomen/pelvis
• A feeling of fullness in the legs
• Less often, the swelling of the veins causes stress incontinence or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) through pressure on the bladder or bowel

For women, these symptoms tend to be worse during menstruation periods, after standing for long periods and after sex, and can be accompanied by visible swelling of veins around the vulva. The symptoms are often relieved by lying down.

The best treatment is pelvic vein embolisation, which we have performed thousands of times over the last 20 years, with great success. Embolisation requires sophisticated X-Ray equipment. As such, you will be treated by one of our consultants at a local private hospital that has the required specialist equipment.

If you suspect that you have a pelvic source of your problems, please let us know prior to making any bookings, and we will call the hospital and request an up-to-date procedure price for you. If you require EVLA treatment, we can undertake this at our Veincentre clinic, in addition to any follow-up procedures. These treatments will be charged in line with our fixed-cost pricing.