Angiology and Phlebology Sector
Chronic Cerebrospinal Venous Insufficiency (CCSVI) Diagnostics and Treatment Center

Our Angiology and Phlebology Sector established Tokuda Hospital Sofia's CCSVI center to focus on diagnosing and treating chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI), based upon the recently discovered connection with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). We implement both leading methodologies in contemporary phlebology (veins science) and endovascular innovations to effectively diagnose and treat CCSVI, which has great potential to improve the quality of life of MS patients.

Background Information

MS is a progressive inflammation disease affecting the central nervous system in which the myelin sheaths covering the axons of the brain are damaged and the transmission of nerve signals is blocked, which leads to eventual paralysis and vision loss. Until recently MS was widely considered an autoimmune system disease with possible viral causes, which has hereditary predisposition factors. However, the core cause of the disease has remained undetermined, which had lead to serious difficulties in preventing, treating, and managing the disease.

During 2008 – 2009, the renowned Italian Doctor Paolo Zamboni published a theory purporting that MS is caused by chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI). He established that approximately 90% of MS patients have a severe blockages in the venous drainage of the brain, which leads to damage to the venous endothelium followed by infiltration and accumulation of toxic substances (iron) in the brain tissues. Dr. Zamboni proposed that this process is the key cause of the chronic inflammation of the sheathing around the brain nerves. Dr. Zamboni extended his research amongst a group of 65 MS patients; he inflated a small balloon in the veins to clear out blockages in the brain draining veins, which resulted in a considerable improvement in the status of most of the patients. In response to the positive clinical outcomes, several centers in Europe have started to provide venous diagnostics and treatment for MS patients.

The driving presumption of this treatment is by eliminating the cause of MS, namely the cerebrospinal venous insufficiency, a disease improvement will occur and the progressive disease development will cease. This treatment should be undertaken complementary to anti-inflammation therapy administered by neurologists, because currently the role of the venous abnormality disturbances in the ethopathogenesis of MS is not clear: CCSVI may be the basic cause, a triggering mechanism or a concomitant process.

 

Professor Lachezar Grozdinski MD PhD - Chief of Angiology and Phlebology Sector and  
CCSVI Diagnostics and Treatment Center
Chairman of Bulgarian Phlebology Society