How common are pelvic venous disorders in patients with unexplained chronic pelvic pain: a prospective cross-sectional study
摘要
Chronicpelvic pain is a multifactorial condition that significantly impacts women’s quality of life. Pelvic venous disorders (PeVD) are increasingly recognized as a potential contributor to chronic pelvic pain and are related to pelvic venous insufficiency. This study aims to investigate the proportion of CPP patients with sonographic venous congestion patterns consistent with PeVD in women with chronic pelvic pain and to evaluate its clinical and ultrasonographic features.
Materials and methodsIn this prospective study, 83 women diagnosed with chronic pelvic pain and meeting the inclusion criteria were evaluated. Demographic and ultrasonographic data were recorded. All participants underwent ultrasonographic assessment for venous parameters associated with pelvic venous disorders. Patients were stratified according to ovarian vein diameter (≥ 6 mm vs. < 6 mm) for comparative analysis. Statistical analyses included the Shapiro–Wilk test, Student’s t-test, chi-square test, and logistic regression. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was performed to evaluate the diagnostic performance of ultrasonographic parameters. A p-value < 0.05 was considered significant.
ResultsAmong all women presenting with chronic pelvic pain, 11.7% exhibited sonographic venous congestion patterns consistent with PeVD. When the analysis was restricted to the final cohort of women with isolated chronic pelvic pain, ovarian vein dilatation (≥ 6 mm) was observed in 54.2% of patients. Other ultrasonographic findings, including coiled tubular veins, low velocity venous flow in the ovarian vein (< 3 cm/s), and myometrial arcuate veins were associated with sonographic venous congestion patterns, with tortuous tubular veins showing the strongest discriminative performance. Additionally, antidepressant use was more frequent in patients with venous congestion, reflecting a higher symptom burden and healthcare utilization in this subgroup.
ConclusionPelvic venous disorders appear to be a potential and possibly under-recognized contributor to chronic pelvic pain. Ultrasonography is a valuable, non-invasive tool for identifying pelvic venous disorders. In addition to ovarian vein dilation, coiled veins, reduced flow velocity, and myometrial arcuate veins may serve as supportive imaging features. Further large-scale studies are needed to better define the role of pelvic venous disorders in the context of chronic pelvic pain.
Trial RegistrationNot applicable.