Epidemiology, diagnosis and treatment of chronic venous disease. A systematic review

iNTrODuCTiON: The spectrum of Chronic venous disease (CVD) ranges from varicose veins to leg edema, and serious dermal clinical manifestations consisting of hyperpigmentation, eczema, lipodermatosclerosis, and venous skin ulceration. CVD management has undergone a revolution based on technological advances: duplex ultrasound has impacted almost every facet of phlebology, including preoperative diagnosis, periprocedural monitoring, postoperative surveillance, and even our understanding of the disease process itself. Furthermore, numerous success- ful treatment options, based on surgical, compression and medical therapy, are available for patients with CVD. This study performs a systematic and comprehensive analysis of the most recent scientific literature on the epidemiology of CVD, diagnostic procedures and conventional and innovative treatments.