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What causes varicose veins?
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This includes lifestyle changes, including avoidance of standing, active ankle exercises, control of body weight and keeping legs elevated at night. Compression stockings are often used for symptomatic relief
This procedure is suitable for smaller varicose veins or as an additional treatment in which your vascular specialist will inject a chemical directly in the varicose veins to block them.
These minimally invasive procedures have revolutionized the treatment of varicose veins and are currently considered the treatment of choice for a majority of patients. These are non-surgical methods wherein a very small catheter is introduced in the vein under sonography guidance and the vein is fired by laser or radiofrequency energy. The closed vein will eventually be absorbed within the body. Newer advances include radial laser fiber, introduction of mechanical and chemical ablation (MOCA) for non-thermal treatment of varicose veins as well as the use of GLUE.
Surgical ligation and removal of the veins was earlier considered the gold standard of treatment but its use has been decreasing since the past decade. Surgery may however be considered for patients with very large varicose veins, which are removed using small incisions. Bruising, numbness and swelling often occur after surgery. Another recent advance is the use of phlebectomy hook, in which large varicosities can be removed from small stab skin incisions using special vein hooks.
Not all varicose veins require clinical treatment. In mild cases, home treatment may be all you require to ease symptoms and keep the varicose veins from getting worse.
You can:
Exercise to strengthen the muscles and veins of the legs
Wear compression stockings to improve blood flow and limit vein swelling
Prop up your legs to allow the blood to flow out of the legs easier
Avoid long periods of sitting or standing
Cyanoacrylate glue – a special type of “superglue” – is used to seal off the main veins with incompetent valves, which need to be dealt with when treating varicose veins – usually the long (great) saphenous vein on the inner side of the leg.
Cyanoacrylate glue does the same job as closing veins by endothermal ablation (laser or radiofrequency treatments), which seal the vein off by intense heat) or “stripping” in a surgical operation.
Having glue treatment is similar to endothermal ablation (laser, radiofrequency) but there is no need for the multiple injections of anaesthetic fluid which are required for laser or radiofrequency to prevent heat damage to surrounding tissues, and pain.
No compression bandaging or stockings are required over veins that have been glued, unlike after other kinds of treatment, when bandages and/or stockings are commonly advised for several days. Just 24 hours of compression is used to minimise bruising when veins are removed through tiny incisions (phlebectomies) at the time of glue treatment.
Glue may avoid the minor discomfort that can occur after endothermal treatments like laser and it causes less bruising than surgical stripping.
Medical Treatment
Two incisions are made: one near the patient’s groin at the top of the target vein, and the other farther down the leg, either at the ankle or knee. The top of the vein is tied up and sealed. A thin, flexible wire is threaded through the bottom of the vein and then pulled out, taking the vein with it.
A chemical is injected into small and medium sized varicose vein and a most common treatment for Varicose vein .This scars the vein and block and other veins take over to carry blood
A doctor do a small incision either above or below the knee and put a thread with catheter into the vein. A probe is inseted into the catheter and starts emiting Radiofrequency energy which heats up the vein and destroy the walls of Varicose vein. This technique used to be done on Large Varicose Veins
A doctor put a catheter into the patient’s vein through which a laser is transmitted to the position at the target vein gradually burning and sealing all of it . This leads to sealing of Vein permanently .
A small incision is done under the skin to pass an endoscopic transilluminator to illuminate the target vein and then cut and remove the target vein through the incision
Dr Ashutosh is the Ist M. Ch Vascular Surgery Qualified doctor practicing in Uttar Pradesh. With the experience of 6+ years, Dr. Ashutosh is the best vascular surgeon in Lucknow
