The measurement of venous pressure by Doppler: is it a hemodynamic evaluation ?

Since 1980 using the Doppler method, planned by Bartolo, we have studied several patients by means of the measurement of venous pressures, both in orthostatism and in clinostatism. In a normal subject, in orthostatism the value of average pressure is 60 mmHg in the posterior tibial vein, and 60 mmHg in the long saphenous vein. When there are varicose veins, the average pressure is 90 and 96 mmHg respectively in the deep veins and in the superficial ones. In the case of post-thrombotic syndrome, the average values are 101 and 102 mmHg in the deep and superficial veins, respectively. In clinostatism, the normal values are under 20 mmHg and in subjects with vein thrombosis the value increase to 30 mmHg and more. After more than 30 years we discuss the reliability of the method, the hemodynamic basis and its clinical application in phlebological practice.