Histopathological analysis of the venous system in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and severe lower limb ischemia

Authors

Keywords:

diabetic microangiopathies; peripheral vascular disease; type 2 diabetes mellitus; vascular endothelium; vascular remodeling

Abstract

Introduction: Diabetes mellitus has a complex prognosis due to its vascular complications. Although the focus is usually on arterial damage, the venous system is also affected by this chronic inflammatory process.

Objective: To determine the main histopathological alterations in the venous system of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and peripheral vascular disease who required amputation.

Method: A study was conducted at the Verdi Cevallos Hospital to explore venous damage by analyzing superficial femoral vein samples from six diabetic patients with chronic ischemia who required amputation using light microscopy and hematoxylin-eosin staining.

Results: The analysis revealed structural alterations in the veins, including intimal fibrosis with thickened collagen bands, hypertrophy of the muscular layer, a marked increase in medial connective tissue, and atrophic or even absent endothelial cells.

Conclusions: The histopathological study determined that the main alterations in diabetic patients with peripheral vascular disease consist of intimal fibrosis, muscular hypertrophy, and endothelial atrophy. These structural changes and collagen deposition give the vein a profile similar to that of an artery.

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Published

2026-09-03

How to Cite

1.
Valdés Dupeyron O, Ponce Vélez DI, Espinales Casanova L. Histopathological analysis of the venous system in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and severe lower limb ischemia. Rev. cuba. med. mil [Internet]. 2026 Sep. 3 [cited 2026 Sep. 5];55(3):e026077121. Available from: https://revmedmilitar.sld.cu/index.php/mil/article/view/77121

Issue

Vol. 55 No. 3 (2026): July - September (in Progress)

Section

Brief Communication

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Copyright (c) 2026 Osvaldo Valdés Dupeyron, Daniel Isaías Ponce Vélez, Lidia Espinales Casanova

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