What is the cause of pelvic congestion syndrome?
Pelvic congestion syndrome is caused by swollen varicose
veins in the female pelvis. These varicose veins are
caused by this malfunctioning valves in the ovarian and
internal iliac veins. Usually blood is taken away from the
pelvis by these veins. If the valves stop working, the
blood falls back into the pelvis making the veins swell
and become "congested".
The symptoms of pelvic congestion syndrome are caused by
these varicose veins pushing on the other organs in the
pelvis:
-
Pressure of the varicose
veins downwards on the floor of the pelvis gives the
aching or dragging sensation, especially on standing
-
Pressure on the rectum
causes bowel symptoms such as irritable bowel syndrome
-
Pressure on the bladder
causes irritable bladder and sometimes stress incontinence
-
Pressure on the vagina can
cause deep dyspareunia (discomfort on sexual intercourse)
After a vaginal birth, the
valves in the veins of the vagina can be damaged, allowing
blood to escape from the pelvic varicose veins and into
veins in the vagina, vulva and legs - causing varicose
veins in any or all three of these places (see
www.vulval-varicose-veins.co.uk).
How do I know if I have pelvic congestion syndrome?
If you suspect that you have the signs or symptoms of
pelvic congestion syndrome then the simplest and most
certain way of finding out is by having a specialised
duplex ultrasound scan of your pelvis.
Performed across the vagina, the experts at The Whiteley
Clinic are not only able to see if there are varicose
veins in the pelvis, but which underlying veins are
causing them. This information is essential to guide
treatment. At the same time, expert ultrasonographers
check the uterus and ovaries to make sure everything
appears healthy.
Can pelvic congestion syndrome be treated?
The simple answer is yes. At The Whiteley Clinic we have
been developing treatment of this condition since 1999
along with our colleagues at The Imaging Clinic.
The treatment is a simple local anaesthetic procedure
performed under x-ray control and sedation if you wish.
It is highly successful and we check our patients with a
follow up ultrasound scan six weeks after the procedure to
make sure the condition has been totally cured. We have
already published the technique in a medical journals and
are currently producing long-term follow-up results
showing the excellent outcomes in the vast majority of our
patients even after five years.