Minimally Invasive Therapy Varicose Veins
What makes these treatments so exciting is their potential to be as effective as surgery with a lot less down time and risk to the patient - Victoria Marx MD
HWN Suggests
The evolution of varicose vein treatment: From 19th century ligation to noninvasive therapy
Although most people point to the introduction of endovenous surgery as being the major turning point, all of the new advances actually stem from the development of venous duplex ultrasonography in the mid-1980s and early 1990s. It was only because this noninvasive imaging modality that allowed us to see the venous function in real-time became widely available that our understanding of venous disease leapt forward.
The introduction of venous duplex ultrasonography split the venous world into two main factions. Unfortunately, a great many doctors who “do” varicose veins as a job and do not attend conferences or read around the subject are unaware of this huge divide. In the English-speaking…
Featured
Vanquish your varicose veins
In the past, veins were primarily treated using a surgical procedure known as ligation and stripping. Ligation is a surgical procedure to cut off blood flow to the faulty vein. Stripping, or vein removal, followed. "People came out of the procedure with a swollen leg and lots of bruising," says Dr. Scovell. The procedure is far less common today. Dr. Scovell says it’s been 12 years since she treated varicose veins in the operating room. Instead, she and many other doctors have switched to less invasive office procedures that leave little to no scarring. "Even the most anxious patients tolerate these procedures very well," she says. One of the oldest and most popular of these office procedures is called thermal ablation, says Dr. Scovell. It uses laser beams or high-frequency radio waves to heat the inside of the vein, damaging it and causing it to collapse.
Articles of Interest
Circulation Solutions
Varicose veins are one of the more unsightly signs of aging. But new, less-invasive treatments are making it easier to remove them painlessly, bypassing a difficult surgical procedure that was often the only option in the past.
14% of Women Get Wrong Varicose Vein Operation
Research from The Whiteley Clinic has suggested that 1 in 7 women having varicose vein surgery are currently getting the wrong operation. Even worse, this rises to 1 in 5 women if they have had children. This is because doctors have traditionally been taught that varicose veins only come from the legs, and they are ignoring the contribution from pelvic varicose veins.
Are hooks, foam or lasers the best way to beat varicose veins?
Two experts explain the different ways to treat the blight that affect three in ten adults.
Can Varicose Veins Be Sealed Without Heat?
New technologies employ a glue, a wire and foam.
How to Get Rid of Spider Veins and Varicose Veins
This isn’t a DIY situation.
Now, Easier Ways to Eliminate Varicose Veins
Until recently, the only option for people with a damaged saphenous vein was a painful procedure called stripping, in which the damaged blood vessel was tied off and surgically removed. The procedure was done under general anesthesia and recovery -- during which patients were admonished to stay off their feet -- could take up to two weeks.
Study of the Day: The Procedure That Best Treats Varicose Veins
Research out of London is the first to compare the success rates of two common non-surgical vein treatments -- laser and foam therapy.
Resources
The Vein Institute
The treatment options for varicose veins range from self-care options for pain and symptom management, non-surgical treatments such as those which are offered at The Vein Institute, and in-hospital surgical procedures.
Vein Guys
Most advanced medical treatments for leg pain, varicose & spider veins.
Venous News
Keeping you connected to the venous community.
