varicose vein

varicose vein
varicose vein n an abnormal swelling and tortuosity esp. of a superficial vein of the legs usu. used in pl.

* * *

a dilated tortuous vein, usually in the subcutaneous tissues of the leg, often associated with incompetency of the venous valves.

Varicose veins.


Medical dictionary. 2011.

Look at other dictionaries:

  • varicose vein — or varix Twisted vein distended with blood. Varix also covers arteries and lymphatic vessels (see lymphatic system). Varicose veins occur mostly in the legs, when malfunctioning valves let blood pool in veins near the skin. Causes include… …   Universalium

  • varicose vein — [[t]væ̱rɪkoʊs ve͟ɪn[/t]] varicose veins N COUNT: usu pl Varicose veins are swollen and painful veins in a person s legs, which sometimes require a medical operation …   English dictionary

  • varicose vein — A condition in which a vein, most often in the legs, becomes permanently enlarged, twisted, and painful. This may be caused by valves in the vein that don’t work properly or by weakness in the vein walls …   English dictionary of cancer terms

  • varicose vein — noun a vein that is permanently dilated; most common in the legs • Hypernyms: ↑vein, ↑vena, ↑venous blood vessel, ↑varicosity …   Useful english dictionary

  • varicose vein — noun a) An abnormally swollen or dilated vein b) The medical condition of having such veins, especially in the legs …   Wiktionary

  • Varicose — Var i*cose (?; 277), a. [L. varicosus, from varix, icis, a dilated vein; cf. varus bent, stretched, crooked.] [1913 Webster] 1. Irregularly swollen or enlarged; affected with, or containing, varices, or varicosities; of or pertaining to varices,… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Varicose veins — ICD9|671 ICDO = OMIM = 192200 MedlinePlus = 001109 eMedicineSubj = med eMedicineTopic = 2788 MeshID = D014648 Varicose veins are veins that have become enlarged and twisted. Carl Arnold Ruge is credited with having first defined varicose veins as …   Wikipedia

  • vein — [[t]ve͟ɪn[/t]] veins 1) N COUNT: usu pl Your veins are the thin tubes in your body through which your blood flows towards your heart. → See also varicose vein Many veins are found just under the skin. 2) N COUNT: usu sing, with supp, usu adj N… …   English dictionary

  • vein — veinal, adj. veinless, adj. veinlike, adj. /vayn/, n. 1. one of the system of branching vessels or tubes conveying blood from various parts of the body to the heart. 2. (loosely) any blood vessel. 3. one of the riblike thickenings that form the… …   Universalium

  • vein — noun /veɪn/ a) A blood vessel that transports blood from the capillaries back to the heart ...and on a different vein, can we discuss... b) (used in plural veins) The entrails of a shrimp See Also: in the same vein, veined …   Wiktionary

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