Varicose Veins

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Varicose veins are veins that have become enlarged and is usually due to failure of the leaflet valves located within the veins themselves. The role of the valves is to prevent blood from falling back down the leg due to gravity. The blood is being pumped up the leg partly due to the action of the heart but also due to what’s known as the skeletal muscle pump. Failure of the valves to prevent blood from falling backwards means the blood pools within the veins and they become enlarged. The most common vein for varicose veins is in the superficial veins such as the saphenous vein of the leg.

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Anatomy Visible in the Medical Illustration Includes:

Vein, saphenous vein, leg, leaflet valves, valves, blood, varicose veins, enlarged, venous reflux, venous, leg, muscles, varicose, sclerotherapy, vein stripping, ablation, superficial, deep, thrombosis.

Image created by:

Joanna Culley