Measurement of Women’s Leg Edema Using Ultrasonography

Measurement of Women’s Leg Edema Using Ultrasonography.

Peripheral edema is the swelling of lower legs or hands. Venous edema, which differs from lymphedema, occurs when something disrupts the usual balance of body fluids and involves
the accumulation of fluid in the extracellular compartment, which results in an increase in the volume of interstitial fluid. Physiologically, a balance exists between intravascular hydrostatic and oncotic pressures and the interstitial pressure.
Transcapillary hydrostatic pressure tends to drain fluid from blood vessels, whereas oncotic pressure (hypoalbuminemia) tends to produce fluid retention in blood vessels. Venous edema consists of excess low-viscosity, protein-poor interstitial fluid resulting from increased capillary filtration that cannot be accommodated by a normal lymphatic system. Thus, fluid movement occurs from the venous system into the extravascular space. Initially, gravity pulls the fluid down into both legs and feet.

Leg edema can occur under both normal and disease conditions. Under normal conditions, it occurs in cases of sitting or standing too long, pregnancy, excessive salt intake, and drug reactions-, just to name a few. Under disease conditions, it occurs in cases of venous insufficiency, deep vein thrombosis (DVT), heart failure, preeclampsia, cirrhosis, pulmonary hypertension, and renal
failure, among others.

Ultrasonography is a quantitative imaging method that is easy to use and produces consistent results between operators. Furthermore, when using a portable ultrasound device, a doctor
or nurse can perform this imaging method easily in an outpatient setting. In particular, this approach will also prove useful for the assessment of the effects of treatments for leg edema.

Women Health Open J. 2020; 6(1): 5-7. doi: 10.17140/WHOJ-6-136