Abstract
Chronic pelvic pain (CPP) is a common condition in women that carries with it significant
morbidity. It is commonly seen in patients presenting to obstetrics and gynecology
outpatient clinic visits. CPP is a presenting symptom of various pathologies including
pelvic varicocele, pelvic adhesions, spastic colon syndrome, uterine fibroids, endometriosis,
and psychosomatic disorders. Pelvic congestion syndrome has more recently been termed
“pelvic venous insufficiency (PVI)” due to the underlying retrograde flow through
incompetent ovarian and pelvic veins that are thought to cause the symptoms of CPP.
Pelvic varices can commonly present alongside vulvar, perineal, and lower extremity
varices. There are some predictable “escape pathways” for these varices that may present
for interventional treatment. This article introduces the reader to current terminology,
clinical presentation, diagnosis, and treatment of patients with pelvic varices due
to PVI.
Keywords
pelvic varices - pelvic congestion syndrome - pelvic venous insufficiency - embolization
- sclerotherapy - interventional radiology
