Pelvic vascular congestion is a condition caused by problems with the veins in the pelvic area. Similar to what happens in leg varicose veins, the veins in the pelvis become unable to return the blood efficiently to the heart, causing blood to pool in the pelvis and leading to pelvic venous congestion. When the various veins in the pelvis fill to capacity, the continued and abnormal pressure in the veins will be diverted to the lower pelvis and subsequently to the legs themselves, causing them in turn to become weakened and dilated.
Your healthcare provider will tailor your treatment according to your symptoms. He or she may suggest starting with medicines. If these don't relieve your symptoms, your healthcare provider may advise a procedure to treat the condition. Your symptoms may ease up as you enter menopause.
How do I know if I have PCS?
PCS is an unrecognized cause of persistent varicose veins in the legs or in patients who have leg symptoms and suffer from pelvic pain and pressure.
Symptoms develop in both the pelvis and the legs from the increased pressure in the veins. To see if you have some of the symptoms of Pelvic Congestion Syndrome (PCS), click here.
How is pelvic congestion diagnosed?
Pelvic congestion remains a difficult diagnosis to make as some symptoms may be overlooked or patients feel embarrassed to share them with their providers. Your primary care provider or your OB/GYN doctor may help diagnose the condition and will ask about your medical history and your symptoms.
You may also need some tests, such as:
- Pelvic ultrasound to look for growths in the pelvis and to check the blood flow in the pelvic blood vessels
- CT scan or MRI with dye for more detailed pictures and to rule out other causes of pelvic pain
- A catheterization of the veins to take special pictures of the pelvic veins (venography) and treat them at the same time if treatment is needed.
How is pelvic congestion syndrome treated?
Your healthcare provider will tailor your treatment according to your symptoms. He or she may suggest starting with medicines. If these don't relieve your symptoms, your healthcare provider may advise a procedure to treat the condition. Your symptoms may ease up as you enter menopause.
Treatment options include:
- Trial of Gonadotropin-releasing hormone drugs, which block ovarian function and may relieve pain. Although it may be effective, medical therapy is usually short lived
- Hysterectomy and removal of the ovaries: Surgery to remove your uterus and ovaries if symptoms become severely disabling.
- Ovarian vein embolization: Procedures to shut off damaged veins (sclerotherapy, embolization) or relieve compression of the veins with angioplasty and stenting with good and long-lasting results. At South Charlotte General and Vascular Surgery, our specialists have had excellent results with treating this condition with an in-office procedure, where they are able to place metal coils inside the enlarged veins to shrink them. This is a treatment that does not require surgery. Ovarian vein embolization is successful about 80-90% of the time. Within 1-2 days, you should feel close to normal, and you will be able to exercise within 7-10 days. You can resume sexual intercourse after 1-2 weeks. Your symptoms will take time to subside, but you should see significant improvements within 2- 3 weeks.
At South Charlotte General and Vascular Surgery, our Pelvic Congestion Syndrome specialists have had excellent results, we are committed to your vascular health.
Book an appointment with us online here with one of our Pelvic Congestion Syndrome specialists.
