Chronic pelvic pain is a common health problem that afflicts 39% of women at some time in their life. It is a common challenge for gynecologists, internists, surgeons, gastroenterologists, and pain management physicians. Pelvic venous insufficiency (PVI) accounts for 16-31% of cases of chronic pain but it seems to be often overlooked in differential diagnosis. The aim of this article was to summarize current data concerning PVI. The embolization of insufficient ovarian veins remains the gold standard of therapy but the optimal procedure is yet to be determined. Well-designed randomized trials are required to establish the best treatment modalities.
Keywords: chronic pelvic pain; embolization; pelvic congestion syndrome; pelvic venous insufficiency.