Understanding Varicose Veins: The Basics
We may develop varicose veins because of weakened vein walls and valves. Varicose veins are inflamed, swollen, and intensified veins, often materialising in blue or dark purple. Inside our veins small one-way valves that open to allow normal blood flow. It then closes to inhibit it from flowing backwards. When the walls of the veins become stretched and lose their flexibility, it results in weakened valves. If the valves do not function accurately, this can result in the blood leaking and flowing backwards. If this happens frequently and the blood gathers in your veins, your veins become swollen, inflamed, and intensified. Varicose veins occur when faulty valves in the veins permit blood to circulate in the wrong direction. In severe cases, a varicose vein may progress into varicose ulcers on the skin. Experts handle such conditions with proper treatment.
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| How do I get relief from the varicose vein? |
If there are signs, patients require treatment to reduce pain or discomfort. The remedy addresses complications such as leg ulcers, skin discolouration, or swelling. Some patients may also want treatment for cosmetic reasons if they need to get rid of unwanted varicose veins. Surgeons may perform vein stripping, a common type of surgery for varicose vein removal. This surgery involves making small incisions and pulling the veins out of the body. Minimal, or MIS, procedures are recent technologies used to remove varicose veins. Experts perform minimally invasive procedures by making small incisions in the skin. The non-invasive procedure is non-surgical and hardly involves tools that cut the skin or physically enter the body.
What Are the Types of MIS Treatments for Varicose Veins?
Surgeons can perform different MIS procedures available for treating varicose veins.
These include:
Sclerotherapy aims to destroy varicose veins by injecting them with a solution called a sclerosant. The sclerosant discolours the vein and causes it to collapse, compelling blood to reroute to healthier veins. When your body finally destroys the veins, they disappear over time. The sclerosant solution used in varicose vein treatment is sodium tetradecyl sulfate. This procedure detects small varicose veins and their location in nearby spider veins, and it improves the appearance of the leg. Foam sclerotherapy is a procedure that involves generating the sclerosant into foam just before injecting it into the vein. The foam sclerotherapy process is used for most veins because foam covers a larger surface area than liquid.
Surgeons use radio waves, also called radiofrequency energy, which gets transmitted through the vein wall. Your surgeon will desensitise the vein and may use an ultrasound to watch inside the leg. Your surgeon will pass a wire catheter along the vein to apply radiofrequency energy along its wall. Mostly, this catheter will work from the knee to the groin. The vein wall will heat up, condense, and narrow before being absorbed by the body and disappearing. It could take several weeks or months to see the full effects of radiofrequency ablation.
Laser ablation is similar to radiofrequency ablation. Endovenous laser ablation uses laser energy rather than radiofrequency energy. Surgeons insert a laser fibre into the catheter and shift it to the necessary location. The creation of heat from laser energy is responsible for closing the vessel. The shrunk of the vein gets reabsorbed by your body over time. Surgeons frequently use radiofrequency and laser therapy to treat the deeper veins of the leg.
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| Relief from the varicose vein |
What Should You Expect from a Varicose Veins Minimally Invasive Treatment?
MIS treatment for varicose veins is typically performed in a clinic or hospital using a local anaesthetic.
Before the Procedure:
If you're pregnant, allergic to anything, or taking any medications, including herbal supplements, make sure to notify your doctor. Your doctor may ask you to stop taking aspirin, blood thinners, or other drugs that make it hard for the blood to clot a few days before the procedure.
During the Procedure:
You’ll be awake during the entire procedure. Your surgeon will use ultrasound to visualise the vein, and your leg will be disinfected and desensitised with a local anaesthetic. Your surgeon will insert the catheter after a sclerosant injection into the vein. During the process of MIS, you may feel a slight discomfort. You may need to wear protective glasses during the procedure because of the laser treatment. Your experienced surgeon may close the vein with radiofrequency or a laser. This procedure will provide more comfort to you.
After the Procedure:
Your surgeon may wrap your legs with bandages to control swelling and bleeding. You have to continue with these bandages for several days. Your surgeon may advise rest and exercise for a week or two after. Your doctor may suggest avoiding hot baths or whirlpools following the procedure. Your surgeon may prescribe drugs like aspirin, ibuprofen, and acetaminophen as pain relievers.
What Are the Risks of Minimal Invasive Treatments for Varicose Veins?
Minimal invasive treatments are generally very safe. We know that in all medical procedures, there are some risk factors.
All surgeries carry a risk of:
- Allergic Reaction To Anesthesia
- Bleeding
- Bruising
- Scarring
- Infection
Risk factors for sclerotherapy:
The risks of sclerotherapy may include:
- blood clots
- bruising
- air bubbles
- small skin sores
- mild inflammation or swelling
- damage to the vessel
- hematoma, or storage of blood outside the blood vessels
- skin burns
- infection
- a sensation of tingling on the skin
- nerve injury
- Discharge of the solution into the neighbouring tissues
Risk factors in Radiofrequency and Laser Ablation
The following are some of the perils associated with radiofrequency and laser ablation:
- Damage to the vessel
- Blood clots
- Bruising
- A formation of blood outside the blood vessels
- Infection
- Skin burns
- A sensation of prickling on the skin
- Nerve injury