Varicose vein - noninvasive treatment - Overview

Definition of Varicose vein - noninvasive treatment:

Varicose veins are swollen, twisted, painful veins that have filled with blood. They usually develop in the legs. Your doctor may be able to treat them in noninvasive ways instead of vein stripping, the traditional surgery for this problem.

Description:

Normally, valves in your veins keep your blood flowing forward so it does not collect in one place. But the valves in varicose veins may be damaged, deformed, or missing. As a result, the veins stay filled with blood, especially when you are standing.

When you stand up, you can see varicose veins as large, bluish vessels that may feel like a "rope."

Nonsurgical treatments for varicose veins can be performed in a doctor's office or clinic. You will receive local anesthesia to numb your leg. You will be awake but will not feel pain.

Sclerotherapy is one common treatment for varicose veins. Your doctor will inject salt water (saline) or a chemical solution into the varicose vein. The vein will harden and then disappear. Sclerotherapy works best for small spider veins.

Newer methods are also being used to treat varicose veins. One is called radiofrequency ablation. Another is called endovenous laser ablation. Each of these methods uses intense heat to treat the vein. During these procedures:

• Your doctor will puncture the varicose vein. Ultrasound (a painless way to see inside your leg) will guide your doctor during the treatment.
• Your doctor will thread a a flexible tube (catheter) through the vein up to your groin. The doctor will inject a special solution into your vein to numb it.
• Intense heat will reach the vein through the catheter in the vein. The heat will close off and destroy the vein. The vein will disappear over time.

These newer procedures can treat varicose veins in the upper thigh only.

Why the Procedure Is Performed:

Most patients should try self-care treatments first. Common self-care includes keeping your leg raised and wearing compression stockings. If self-care does not help, talk with your doctor about which treatment might be best for you.

Varicose vein therapy may be recommended for:

• Improving the appearance of the leg (a common reason for sclerotherapy)
• Leg pain, often described as heavy or tired
• Lipodermatosclerosis - fatty tissue under that skin that hardens over time from high blood pressure in a vein
• Repeated phlebitis of the vein
• Ulcers or sores that are caused by blood pooling in the veins