Vaskulárna medicína 1/2014

Chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency and its controversial relationship with multiple sclerosis

The position of cerebrospinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI) in pathogenesis, and/or progression of multiple sclerosis (MS), is one of the most controversial topics of current vascular medicine. It attracted exceptional attention and resulted in increasing number of venous interventions aiming to eliminate cerebral venous congestion as the possible treatment strategy of patients with MS. The published literature is ambiguous in the role of CCSVI in development and/or progression of MS, and in clinical benefit of angioplasty or stenting of venous lesions. The results of the latest studies do not support these associations. Authors present the overview of publications and current views on the topic of CCSVI in relation to MS.

Keywords: chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency, multiple sclerosis, angioplasty, stenosis, venography.