Donald Trump's health condition can lead to amputation, warns expert

Donald Trump suffers from a vascular condition which in severe cases can require amputation, says an expert.

The US president has been diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) with images having been shared widely in the media of his very swollen ankles. And now Dr Mimmie Kwong, associate professor of vascular surgery at the University of California, has shared her knowledge of the condition which is relatively common in the elderly.

She warned that although it on average affects one in three people, it can be serious if not treated and a severe form of the disease could require amputation.

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It comes after White House physician Capt. Sean Barbadella claimed Trump exhibited "excellent cognitive and physical health and is fully fit" in April and then Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt made public that the president has CVI in July. CVI occurs when "the veins of the body do not work well."

"Typically, this happens in the legs or the arms," Dr Kwong said in a blog post by UC Davis Health, reported theIrish Star. "Veins are what bring blood flow up from the feet or the hands towards the heart.

"When they don't work well the blood gets stuck. This can cause pain, swelling, throbbing, aching and in the most extreme cases wounds or limb loss."

Cases of CVI can range from mild to severe, she said, and the condition is more commonly seen in women and older people. One of the most obvious signs of potential CVI is swelling in the legs.

Dr Kwong said. "As the swelling gets worse it can cause skin changes like thickening or inflammation and dryness of the skin. With worse disease conditions you can develop unhealing wounds in the legs and if they get worse it could lead to amputations."

Treating the disease can depend on which veins are affected, according to Dr Kwong. Issues involving deep veins are more difficult to treat and there are fewer quality treatment options available.

"The first line treatment for any form of CVI is elevation of the legs, staying active and wearing compression stockings," she said. Though 79-year-old Trump has been photographed with visibly swollen legs in several locations since his diagnosis, it is not clear if he wears compression socks.

In more severe cases, those with CVI can explore ablation therapy, surgical removal of the affected veins or injections of sclerosant, a chemical that can irritate and damage veins until they collapse and are eventually absorbed, Dr Kwong added.