What are Varicose Veins ?
These are large, ugly looking, dilated veins in legs. Smaller bunches of prominent veins are often called spider veins.
Why do veins become varicose?
The leg veins normally carry blood towards the heart. They have valves that prevent back flow of blood. Due to certain factors like prolonged standing, family history, obesity etc, these valves start to malfunction and allow blood to be pooled in the leg veins. This causes build up of pressure of the pooled blood column and thus the varicose appearance of the veins.
What are the symptoms of Varicose Veins ?
Apart from the obvious appearance, varicose veins can cause pain in the calves, swelling, burning or itching over the legs, skin darkening and even skin ulcers that do not heal quickly.
How is this condition diagnosed ?
Examination to look for venous reflux and incompetent perforators and an Ultrasound test to confirm superficial venous reflux along with ruling out deep venous reflux and excluding DVT.
How are Varicose Veins treated ?
Traditionally, surgical stripping of the dilated superficial vein was the only treatment available. But currently, minimally invasive treatments like Varicose Vein Laser treatment and Radiofrequency Ablation are now considered first choice treatment for this condition.
What are the benefits of Laser treatment?
? Takes less than an hour and is done under local anaesthesia.
Immediate return to daily activities.
No bed rest or immobilisation.
No visible scar.
More than 98 % success rate.
What are the possible complications of this procedure ?
Skin bruising can occur over the treated vein. This is treated with pain medication and usually clears off within 1 – 2 weeks.Other potential complication can be deep venous thrombosis, however, all care is taken to prevent this from occurring.
