Question:medium
What may cause local gigantism with varicosities?
What may cause local gigantism with varicosities?
Show Hint
Think of what abnormal vessel connection sends extra arterial flow into just one limb.
Updated On: Jul 8, 2026
- Arteriovenous (AV) fistulae
- Deep vein thrombosis
- Acromegaly
- Osteosarcoma
Show Solution
The Correct Option is A
Solution and Explanation
Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Local gigantism is one limb growing bigger than its pair. The question wants the cause that also comes with varicose veins in that same limb.
Step 2: Key Formula or Approach:
A single limb only overgrows if it alone gets extra blood supply or extra growth stimulus, not the whole body. So look for a cause that is local to one limb and also raises venous pressure enough to cause varicosities.
Step 3: Detailed Explanation:
An arteriovenous fistula is a short circuit between an artery and a vein. Blood skips the capillary bed and rushes into the vein at high pressure.
This constant extra flow feeds the bones and soft tissue of that limb, so growth centers get more nutrients and the limb grows faster and bigger than the other side.
The same high flow overloads the superficial veins draining the limb, stretching them into varicose veins.
Deep vein thrombosis narrows or blocks flow instead of increasing it, so it swells the leg but never makes it grow bigger in a true overgrowth sense.
Acromegaly comes from too much growth hormone acting on the whole skeleton, so it enlarges hands, feet, and jaw together, not one limb alone.
Osteosarcoma is a cancer growing from bone itself, giving a firm local lump and pain, not a whole limb overgrowth with varicosities.
Step 4: Final Answer:
An arteriovenous fistula explains both the local gigantism and the varicose veins in the same limb.
\[ \boxed{\text{Arteriovenous (AV) fistula}} \]
Local gigantism is one limb growing bigger than its pair. The question wants the cause that also comes with varicose veins in that same limb.
Step 2: Key Formula or Approach:
A single limb only overgrows if it alone gets extra blood supply or extra growth stimulus, not the whole body. So look for a cause that is local to one limb and also raises venous pressure enough to cause varicosities.
Step 3: Detailed Explanation:
An arteriovenous fistula is a short circuit between an artery and a vein. Blood skips the capillary bed and rushes into the vein at high pressure.
This constant extra flow feeds the bones and soft tissue of that limb, so growth centers get more nutrients and the limb grows faster and bigger than the other side.
The same high flow overloads the superficial veins draining the limb, stretching them into varicose veins.
Deep vein thrombosis narrows or blocks flow instead of increasing it, so it swells the leg but never makes it grow bigger in a true overgrowth sense.
Acromegaly comes from too much growth hormone acting on the whole skeleton, so it enlarges hands, feet, and jaw together, not one limb alone.
Osteosarcoma is a cancer growing from bone itself, giving a firm local lump and pain, not a whole limb overgrowth with varicosities.
Step 4: Final Answer:
An arteriovenous fistula explains both the local gigantism and the varicose veins in the same limb.
\[ \boxed{\text{Arteriovenous (AV) fistula}} \]
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