IMPROVEMENT OF AMBULATORY VENOUS HYPERTENSION BY NARROWING OF THE FEMORAL VEIN IN CONGENITAL ABSENCE OF VENOUS VALVES

Objective: To assess the effect of femoral vein compression in a patient with congenital avalvulae. Design: Single patient study. Setting: Department of Dermatology; Teaching Hospital, Vienna, Austria. Patient: A single patient with the rare condition of congenital absence of venous valves. Interventions: Compression of the thigh using a thigh cuff. Main outcome measures: Ambulatory venous pressure measurement. Results: The ambulatory venous pressure was reduced when the thigh calf pressure was increased in excess of 70 mmHg. Conclusion: Thigh compression in a patient with congenital absence of venous valves resulted in a temporary valve mechanism permitting orthograde flow during muscle systole, but inhibiting venous reflux.