The venous refilling time is the time necessary for the lower leg to become suffused with blood after the calf muscle pump has emptied the lower leg as thoroughly as possible.
The venous filling time test, also known as the Venous Filling Test (VFT), is a medical procedure used to assess venous circulation and venous valve function in the lower extremities. This test is particularly helpful in diagnosing venous insufficiency, a condition in which the veins have difficulty returning blood from the legs to the heart.
During the test, the patient lies in a supine position (lying face-up) with their legs elevated to drain blood away from the veins. The examiner then occludes the veins in the lower leg by using a tourniquet or manual compression. This prevents venous blood from returning to the heart. Once the veins are occluded, the examiner measures the time it takes for the veins in the legs to refill with blood after releasing the occlusion.
A normal venous filling time indicates that venous valves are functioning properly, allowing blood to flow efficiently back to the heart. Prolonged venous filling time, on the other hand, suggests possible venous insufficiency, as it indicates impaired venous blood flow and decreased effectiveness of venous valves.