Introduction
A phlebitis in the hollow of the knee is caused by an inflammatory reaction of the body. This can be caused by various underlying diseases that damage the vascular walls and thus cause an inflammation. The affected area is usually swollen and reddened.
Pain is another accompanying symptom. A phlebitis can be divided into two classes: Acute phlebitis affects the superficial veins, whereas chronic phlebitis damages the deeper veins. The course and therapy differ accordingly.
The causes
The causes of phlebitis in the hollow of the knee can be extremely diverse. An acute phlebitis affects the superficial veins. The most common cause is thrombosis.
A thrombosis is a blood clot that leads to a blockage of the vessel. The blood can no longer flow in this area and becomes congested. The body tries to eliminate the thrombosis as a counter-reaction.
A strong inflammatory reaction is triggered, which can lead to swelling, redness and pain. Another cause is a traumatic injury that damages the veins and thus causes an inflammatory reaction. A chronic inflammation of the veins in the area of the back of the knee is usually caused by chronic venous insufficiency.
In this case the function of the veins is impaired and the blood can no longer be transported to the heart and becomes congested. Over time, the vessels dilate and become damaged. This damage in turn leads to inflammation and the insufficiency becomes increasingly worse.
Such chronic venous insufficiency can be caused by varicose veins or poor venous valve function. In addition, cardiac insufficiency can also lead to blood congestion. The heart is no longer able to pump enough blood into the body’s circulation.
This blood accumulates in front of the heart and sinks into the legs. Here too, the vessels dilate and become irritated. Furthermore, autoimmune diseases can lead to inflammation of the blood vessels.
In this case, the immune system recognizes the cells on the vessels as foreign and fights them. This form of autoimmune diseases is called vasculitis. They are generally directed against vessels and destroy both veins and arteries.
