Interrelation of venous and osteoarticular pathology in patients with Giacomini's vein

Objective: To establish a possible relationship between the Giacomini vein and osteoarticular pathology of the lower extremities in chronic venous diseases (CVD).

Materials and methods. In 115 examined patients (out of 321), we identified the Giacomini vein (92 women, 23 men). The average age of men was 44.82 ± 1.62 years; women – 45.36 ± 3.31 years. All patients were divided into 3 groups by anatomical randomization. The first group was without pathology, the second group of patients had only CVD, and the third group included patients with CVD and osteoarticular pathology. The criteria for inclusion in the groups were: the presence of Giacomini vein in patients, chronic venous disease and osteoarticular pathology on one or both lower extremities. Exclusion criteria: age of patients less than 18 years, the presence of CVD C5-C6 according to the CEAP classification, post-traumatic changes in the osteoarticular system, post-thrombotic transformation of the veins of the lower extremities. Using triplex angioscanning, the anatomical features of the structure of the venous system of the lower extremities were assessed. The study of the condition of the foot was carried out using the Friedland method.

Results. Group I with an absolute norm of the venous and osteoarticular systems included 30 people (26 %). The second group consisted of 45 patients (39.22 %) with CVD C0-C4 according to CEAP, and the third group consisted of 40 patients (34.78 %) who, in addition to venous, osteoarticular pathology. Chronic venous diseases in patients of groups II and III were distributed as follows: C0 – 25.6 %; C1 – 16.4 %; C2 – 49.4 %; C3 – 4.3 %; C4 – 4.3 % on the CEAP scale. Among the osteoarticular pathology, the most numerous group consisted of changes in the configuration of the foot, non-traumatic deformities – 32 (27.81 %) cases. To confirm the relationship between venous and osteoarticular pathology, we used the Pearson criterion. We found a significant correlation in the presence of nontraumatic deformities of the foot in the group of patients with CVD (Pearson's criterion 0.749642; p < 0.22). A strong correlation was established between the age of patients and changes in the venous and osteoarticular systems of the lower extremities (Pearson's criterion 0.7677696; p < 0.22), which confirms the relationship between the development of nontraumatic changes in the foot and CVD in patients with Giacomini vein with age.

Conclusion. It was found that the presence of an altered Giacomini vein leads to an aggravation of venous stasis in the lower extremities, which in turn increases the likelihood of developing venous pathology. Chronic diseases of the veins of the lower extremities contribute to dystrophic changes in soft tissues, most pronounced in the distal part of the extremity and, as a consequence, predispose to the development of osteoarticular pathology. 

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