What is Pelvic Congestion Syndrome (PCS)?
Pelvic Congestion Syndrome (PCS) is a little-known, difficult-to-diagnose but treatable disease characterized by varicose veins around the ovaries and uterus and chronic pelvic pain in women aged 30-50. At Liv Hospital Vascular Surgery Clinic, patients diagnosed with PCS are treated by specialists in their field.
What Causes Pelvic Congestion Syndrome?
- Pregnancies
- Obesity
- Previous deep vein thrombosis
- Inactivity
- Spending long periods of time sitting or standing for long periods of time
What are the Symptoms of Pelvic Congestion Syndrome?
Symptoms of Pelvic Congestion Syndrome (PCS) may include the following complaints;
- Pain and fullness in the lower abdomen and groin is the typical complaint.
- This pain and fullness worsen during urination, defecation, sexual intercourse, and menstrual periods.
- Varicose veins may appear in the groin, lower abdomen and legs.
- Some patients may experience frequent urination and bloody urine.
- Hemorrhoids and leg varicose veins are most likely to occur together.
How is Pelvic Congestion Syndrome Diagnosed?
Some patients can be diagnosed with detailed color Doppler ultrasonography of the groin and intra-abdominal veins. In some patients, it may be necessary to visualize the relevant vessels with medicated CT or angiography for diagnosis.
What is Pelvic Congestion Syndrome Treatment?
Medications may be considered for early-stage patients. Some drugs that will prevent vasodilation and establish hormone balance can reduce the rate of progression of the disease and sometimes stop the progression. In addition, various painkillers can be used to relieve pelvic pain.
However, the most important technique in the definitive treatment of the disease is embolization of the problematic pelvic veins through a catheter. In these interventions, which are performed through the groin or neck vein, enlarged and structurally impaired veins in the pelvic region are detected. These problematic veins are closed with special equipment (coils, foam, sclerosing drugs, etc.). Pelvic venous embolization boasts a 99% technical success rate and a recurrence rate of less than 10%.
The procedures can be performed at any time of the year and patients can be discharged on the same day and resume their work and social life the next day. The timing of the procedure is not related to the menstrual period. There is no change in fertility and menstrual pattern after the procedure.
* Contents of this page is for informational purposes only. Please consult your doctor for diagnosis and treatment. The content of this page does not include information on medicinal health care at Liv Hospital .
