What Are the Available Treatments for Varicose Veins?The treatment for varicose veins is aimed at stopping the blood from going the wrong way (refluxing)
There are basically four types of treatments offered by different practitioners
Stripping surgery
Under General or spinal Anaesthesia a few incisions are made to isolate the vein and the whole vein is yanked off. This is no longer popular because it is considered to be very invasive and carries significant complication rate.
• Ultrasound Guided Foam Sclerotherapy: Here, instead of removing the varicose veins, a strong chemical foam is injected into the varicose veins to try and close it. This method is attractive because it is cheThere are basically four types of treatments offered by different practitionersap and not invasive. However it has high recurrence rate .
Local avulsions
The varicose veins are avulsed under local anaesthesia using small incisions. This method only treat the visible veins and does not address the deeper varicose veins. They will invariably recur within a few months.
Latest Treatment is non-invasive or Endovenous
In the last 10 years, treatment of varicose veins has evolved from one where you need to undergo major invasive surgery to one where you can walk into the clinic, have the treatment under local anaesthesia and walk out 20 minutes later without so much of an incision scar.
Endovenous Laser Treatment: With this treatment, a fine laser wire is inserted into the veins under Ultrasound Guide. Laser pulses are fired to constrict and close the varicose veins .
endovenous Radiofrequency ablation
This is fairly similar to Laser , except instead of using laser wire, Radiofrequency fiber is used
Endovenous Radiofrequency and Laser are the best treatments for varicose veins as it eliminate all the veins without any surgery, general anesthesia or hospitalization. Patient can walk immediately after that and there are no visible scars once the needle marks have healed.
Other treatment options would be available in the future like steam induced ablation and after approval , we will use them .
?Where is the treatment done
It is usually done in the clinic . It generally does not require general or spinal anesthesia. The patient is asked to come to the clinic in loose fitting clothing . There is minimal pain only the needle of local anesthesia
It is better not to wear the stockings in the day of treatment and to bring them with yourself
To drink a lot
You could walk after treatment but it is advised not to drive yourself just after treatment
Not to have a long distance travel (more than 2 hours) at the day of treatment
Compression Stockings and Varicose Treatment
Wearing compression stockings is often the first approach to try before moving on to other treatments. Compression stockings are worn all day. They steadily squeeze your legs, helping veins and leg muscles move blood more efficiently
This essay is translated by Mojgan Salmani