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Chronic venous insufficiency (CVI), frequent cause of lower limb edema, represents a severe consequence of the dysfunction of the venous valve, which results from the venous hypertension together with the degenerative processes at this level. CVI defines only the severe stages of the chronic venous disease (CVD), accompanied by morphological and functional damage, with significant alteration in quality of life. The treatment of CVI involves, depending on the severity of the case, a combination of general nonpharmacologic, pharmacologic, and surgical measures. Non-pharmacologic measures involve the use of a continuous and controlled external pressure represented by compression stockings which can significantly improve the venous return and lead to a major symptoms improvement. Pharmacologic treatment aims on one hand to alleviate hemodinamics by lowering blood viscosity, decreasing venous pressure and preventing intravascular thrombus formation and, on the other hand, restoring the vascular glycocalyx/endothelium, reducing parietal inflammation and increasing the venous wall tone. Within this pathology, sulodexide represents an innovative biological product with polypharmacological actions targeting more sites involved in the pathogenesis of CVD/CVI that alleviate hemodynamics and restore vascular structure which lead to a significant symptoms improvement and a slow disease progression. Surgery remains the procedure of choice in patients initially treated conservatively in whom symptoms persist or worsen, but also in case of those who already come to doctor in a severe stage of the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article describes the medical approach of a frequent pathology, chronic venous insufficiency. Chronic venous insufficiency requires early diagnosis as well as an evaluation of the associated risk factors; also, patients need to understand the disease and its treatment, and to become compliant with all their physician's recommendations. Importantly, the physician should correctly evaluate the disease and decide the best option for the patient. These days, it is crucial that the patient benefits from optimal treatment choice in order to prevent complications. CVI is a potentially severe pathology that has been underdiagnosed and undertreated for a long time and requires patience from the patient as well as care from the physician. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Localized interlobar effusion in congestive heart failure (known as phantom tumor or vanishing tumor of the lung) is an uncommon entity. We report a case of a 61-year-old man who presented to the Emergency Departament with a two week history of dyspnoea, palpitations, dry cough and intermitent anterior chest pain. A posteroanterior chest radiography showed a nodular mass in the medium third of the right hemithorax suggestive of a pulmonary tumor. With this supposition of diagnosis, the patient was admitted to the Pneumology Departament for further investigations. Left ventricular systolic dysfunction was identified on the echocardiographic examination, in the presence of atrial flutter with 2 to 1 block. Lateral chest X-ray confirmed the presence of a pleural effusion with complete regression of "the lung tumor" after ten days of congestive heart failure treatment, avoiding other expensive and unnecessary investigations.