Do Veins Have Valves? Which Ones Dont?

There are three main types of vessels in our human body: veins, arteries, and capillaries. Today, let's talk about venous valves, which refer to the valves found on human veins and are typically only present in veins. Veins are responsible for carrying blood back to the heart. As blood flows slowly towards the heart, the valves tend to open, welcoming the flow. Once the blood has passed, the valves close. So, do veins have venous valves? Which ones don't? Let's explore:

Do Veins Have Venous Valves?

Venous valves refer to the valves found on veins, and they are exclusive to veins. Veins are responsible for transporting blood from various parts of the body back to the heart. When blood flows towards the heart, the valves open to allow the blood to pass through. Once the blood has passed, the valves close. If the venous valves are damaged, it can lead to elevated venous pressure, resulting in varicose veins. Venous valves are formed by the folding of vascular wall cells into two half-moon shaped flaps. When blood flows backwards in the vein, these two flaps close together, preventing venous reflux.

Which Veins Don't Have Venous Valves?

The organs and tissues in the head and neck are located in the upper part of the body, where venous return is relatively easy, therefore, veins in the head and neck do not have venous valves. Due to the negative pressure in the chest wall, venous return is also relatively easy, so venous valves are absent in the chest wall veins. Additionally, veins in the abdominal cavity also lack venous valves. In contrast, peripheral veins in the limbs, especially the lower limbs, face greater resistance to venous return and therefore have venous valves. The number and function of these valves are even greater in the lower limbs due to the increased resistance.

Management Measures for Venous Valve Insufficiency

1. Improving symptoms and controlling infection: Insufficiency of the superficial venous valves in the lower limbs can lead to venous reflux obstacles, resulting in varicose veins with worm-like protrusions on the skin surface. In severe cases, venous thrombosis, venous inflammation, and skin ulcers may develop. The primary treatment focuses on improving symptoms and controlling infection. For those with thrombotic thrombosis, thrombolytic therapy may be necessary. Surgical options include superficial vein stripping for those with normal deep veins, and superficial venous valve repair or pedicled vascular grafting for those with poor deep venous patency.

2. Medical or surgical treatment for deep venous valve insufficiency: Initially, there may be no obvious symptoms for deep venous valve insufficiency. For mild symptoms, medication may be prescribed to improve symptoms, but surgical treatment, such as valve repair or transplantation, is typically the primary approach.

3. Oral androgen therapy: For venous valve insufficiency in specific locations where treatment is not effective, oral androgen therapy can be considered to improve symptoms to a certain extent.