Varicose veins aesthetic surgery (phlebology)
Veins are blood vessels that return deoxygenated blood from the outer parts of the body back to the heart and lungs. When veins become abnormally thick, full of twists and turns, or enlarged, they are called varicose veins. Generally, the veins in the legs and thighs have a tendency to become varicosed. Varicose veins tend to be inherited and become more prominent as the person ages.
You must treat your veins:
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if you have varicous veins symptoms (the legs often ache and feel heavy and itchy; one may have severe pain upon standing or even have cramps in the legs at night etc.);
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if it's a cosmetic nuisance for you;
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in case of thrombophlebitis, bruising, eczema.
Duration of stay in clinic: 24 hours.
Surgery technique
Ligation
This usually involves an incision at the groin. The incision measures about 2-4 cm, and the saphenous vein is identified where it enters the femoral vein. It is tied just at the entrance. The procedure is performed under general anesthesia.
Stripping
This involves at least 2 incisions, 1 at the groin and 1 at the knee. A tunneling device is placed under the skin between the 2 points, and the saphenous vein is dragged or pulled out of the tunnel. This technique will leave not only scars from the incisions but also a significant amount of bruising and possibly bleeding. The bleeding is easily controlled by pressure dressings and stops immediately. The bruising is usually noticeable for a few weeks. For vein stripping, a recovery period of 5-10 days is needed before returning to a regular routine. For just vein ligation, a few days off is more than adequate.
Endovascular laser therapy
Endovenous laser therapy is a new technique that uses a laser to destroy the vein. The procedure is usually performed in a doctor's office and takes about 30-45 minutes. The small laser is passed into the vein with guidance from the ultrasound machine. The laser is then fired up and the entire vein is fibrosed. The laser is fired at multiple locations and the entire procedure is performed with some local anesthesia. Recovery is rapid and involves minimal pain. The procedure is relatively new and except for some mild bruising and a numbing sensation, no other effects have been seen in the short term.
Radiofrequency ablation
Radiofrequency ablation is a similar technique to endovascular laser, but it uses heat to destroy the vein. The probe is placed in the vein under ultrasound and once in position, the vein is heated along the entire length. The procedure is performed under local anesthesia and takes about 30 minutes. It is a relatively new procedure and short-term results are excellent.
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