Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Wiktionary
n. (plural of varicose vein English)
Wikipedia
Varicose veins are veins that have become enlarged and twisted. The term commonly refers to the veins on the leg, although varicose veins can occur elsewhere. Veins have pairs of leaflet valves to prevent blood from flowing backwards (retrograde flow or venous reflux). Leg muscles pump the veins to return blood to the heart (the skeletal-muscle pump), against the effects of gravity. When veins become varicose, the leaflets of the valves no longer meet properly, and the valves do not work (valvular incompetence). This allows blood to flow backwards and they enlarge even more. Varicose veins are most common in the superficial veins of the legs, which are subject to high pressure when standing. Besides being a cosmetic problem, varicose veins can be painful, especially when standing. Severe long-standing varicose veins can lead to leg swelling, venous eczema, skin thickening ( lipodermatosclerosis) and ulceration. Life-threatening complications are uncommon, but varicose veins may be confused with deep vein thrombosis, which may be life-threatening.
Non-surgical treatments include sclerotherapy, elastic stockings, leg elevation and exercise. The traditional surgical treatment has been vein stripping to remove the affected veins. Newer, less invasive treatments which seal the main leaking vein are available. Alternative techniques, such as ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy, radiofrequency ablation and endovenous laser treatment, are available as well. Because most of the blood in the legs is returned by the deep veins, the superficial veins, which return only about 10% of the total blood of the legs, can usually be removed or ablated without serious harm.
Secondary varicose veins are those developing as collateral pathways, typically after stenosis or occlusion of the deep veins, a common sequel of extensive deep venous thrombosis (DVT). Treatment options are usually support stockings, occasionally sclerotherapy and rarely, limited surgery.
Varicose veins are distinguished from reticular veins (blue veins) and telangiectasias (spider veins), which also involve valvular insufficiency, by the size and location of the veins. Many patients who suffer with varicose veins seek out the assistance of physicians who specialize in vein care or peripheral vascular disease. These physicians include vascular surgeons, phlebologists or interventional radiologists.
Usage examples of "varicose veins".
And she'd have to shave her legs and put Clinique on her varicose veins.
So far she did not have varicose veins, but she lived in dread of their purplish emergence, and she hoped that the white cotton support hose would hold them in abeyance for as long as possible.
But to go back into that tent (which would now smell very much like the comfort station on Transverse Number One in Central Park, where 'he Ever Popular dark sweet treat woud be sitting for eternity) and unzip her side of the sleeping bag the rest of the way and pull out her stiff and baggy body and drag it up to the hole by the armpits and tumble it in and then shovel the dirt over it, watching the earth patter on her white legs with their bulging nodules of varicose veins and stick in her hair .
While nobody is paying any attention to him, he shifts from one foot to the other to rest his varicose veins.
I could see her throat working as she tried them, rejected them, tried more, looking for the words of power that would line Grace's face, drop her breasts four inches toward her belly, pop up varicose veins on those smooth thighs, and turn her hair gray.
I suffer from varicose veins, a hernia, stomach disorders from excessive recurrences of dysentery.
Two dykes wearing tee-shirts cut off to display their overbuilt arms included him briefly in their Frisbee game, and an older woman with white hair on top and really ugly varicose veins down below brought him a Yogurt Pop because, she said, he looked really hot and uncomfortable, stuck in that chair.
The next woman who came into view was alone, and Norman recognized her - white hair on top, ugly varicose veins on the bottom.
She had a thrombosis seventeen years ago, and had very bad varicose veins.
This triggered a ten-minute monologue about morning sickness, wind, appalling indigestion, varicose veins, bloated feelings, pains in the wrist, insomnia, and constipation.
I have large varicose veins in the legs, or I should have tramped hand and foot all the way.
Then, for a man afflicted with varicose veins the Babu displayed amazing agility.
As her rage mounted, her shapely legs transformed into gargoyle gray granite, the varicose veins in them thick and corded by stagnant black blood.
Sure I do pro bono work, birth defects mainly, but the bread-andbutter is droopy breasts, hooter breasts, Dixie-cup breasts, bags under eyes, crow's-feet, jowls, turkey necks, liver spots, varicose veins, warts, acne scars, ripple thighs, love handles, hook noses, porky noses, double triple chins, sagging eyelids, sagging upper arms, sagging potbellies, sagging butts.