Intravital capillaroscopy in patients with chronic venous insufficiency and lymphoedema: relevance to Daflon 500 mg.

Microangiopathy of chronic venous insufficiency is characterized by elongated, dilated and coiled skin capillaries, which are surrounded by an enlarged pericapillary space (halo). Reduction of capillary number and even areas devoid of microvessels (atrophie blanche) are common in severe chronic venous insufficiency associated with focal microvascular ischaemia (decreased transcutaneous oxygen tension). The superficial network of skin lymphatic capillaries is obliterated in part. Oedema formation results from increased permeability of blood capillaries (enhanced transcapillary diffusion of sodium fluorescein) and deficient lymphatic drainage of interstitial fluid.