Trump faces health alarm as expert warns untreated leg condition could risk amputation

 

A vascular surgery expert from one of America's leading medical schools recently shed light on US President Donald Trump's diagnosis of chronic venous insufficiency (CVI), following the circulation of images showing his alarmingly swollen ankles.

Dr. Mimmie Kwong, an associate professor of vascular surgery at the University of California, Davis, broke down the various causes, symptoms and risks linked to the condition shortly after Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt made the diagnosis public in July. This came three months after White House physician Capt. Sean Barbadella declared in April that Trump was in "excellent cognitive and physical health and is fully fit."

While CVI is a fairly common ailment, affecting roughly one in three U.S. adults, Kwong warned that if left untreated, a severe form of the disease could necessitate amputation.

CVI arises when "the veins of the body do not work well. Typically, this happens in the legs or the arms," Kwong explained in a blog post by UC Davis Health.

"Veins are what bring blood flow up from the feet or the hands towards the heart. When they don't work well the blood gets stuck. This can cause pain, swelling, throbbing, aching and in the most extreme cases wounds or limb loss."

The severity of CVI can vary from mild to severe, she noted, and the condition is more commonly observed in women and the elderly, reports the Irish Star.

One of the most glaring symptoms of potential CVI is leg swelling, according to Kwong. She explained: "As the swelling gets worse it can cause skin changes like thickening or inflammation and dryness of the skin. With worse disease conditions you can develop unhealing wounds in the legs and if they get worse it could lead to amputations."

The treatment approach can hinge on which veins are affected, stated Kwong, who was unavailable for further comment on Thursday.

Problems involving deep veins pose a greater challenge to treat and there are fewer high-quality treatment options at hand.

She said: "The first line treatment for any form of CVI is elevation of the legs, staying active and wearing compression stockings."

Although the 79 year old Trump has been snapped with noticeably swollen legs at various locations post-diagnosis, it remains unclear whether he sports compression socks.

In more severe instances, those afflicted with CVI can consider ablation therapy, surgical excision of the affected veins or injections of sclerosant, a chemical that can irritate and damage veins until they collapse and are eventually absorbed, Kwong added.