CONGENITAL ABSENCE OF THE VALVES IN THE VEINS AS A CAUSE OF VARICOSITIES

THERE is little doubt that thrombophlebitis is the commonest cause of varicose veins. However, this should not make one oblivious to other factors which may also produce varices. It is becoming more evident that defects of the or their valves are not uncommon and may explain why a young person without previous history of phlebitis or thrombophlebitis occasionally may have extensive varicose veins, with associated hemostatic dermatitis or even ulceration. In 1936 Weber1stated: In some such cases congenital varicose veins [are]... connected with and constitute a part of [a]... developmental disturbance of growth, and [are]... associated with a telangiectatic or other haemangiectatic naevus-formation. Such congenital varicose veins are really only large orgiantveins of developmental origin, but are not, strictly speaking, true varicose veins, i. e., with the special alteration in the vessel-walls... due to insufficiency of vein-valves and chronic distension of postural origin....