What is Varicose Vein?
Varicose veins are enlarged, twisted, painful superficial
veins resulting from poorly functioning valves.
Varicose veins usually occur in the legs. Normally, valves
in your veins keep blood flowing. But the valves in
varicose veins are either damaged or missing. This causes
the veins to remain filled with blood, especially when you
are standing.
Surgical
Treatments
Varicose veins can be treated by removal (vein stripping)
or occlusion of the vein. Small vericose veins can be
treated with an injection with a salt solution (sclerotherapy).
* Surgical vein
stripping is done
in the hospital, under general anesthesia. Incisions are
made at the bottom and the top of the varicose vein. A
thin, wire-like instrument is inserted into the vein. That
"strips," or clears, the vein from the inside. Small
incisions can also be made over individual veins to remove
them.
* Sclerotherapy is done while the patient is
standing. A Sclerosing agent, salt solution, is injected
into each varicose vein to cause scarring that closes off
the vein. An elastic bandage is wrapped snugly around the
legs after the procedure.
* Endovenous ablation therapy is an outpatient
procedure. The therapy uses heat to destroy vein tissue. A
thin catheter (a tube) is inserted into the vein through a
tiny skin incision under local anesthesia. Then, using
either a laser or radiowave (radiofreqency) energy,
the vein is heated and cauterized. This closes off the
vein.
The endovenous ablation procedure has shown to work the
same as or better than surgery. Patients have significantly
less pain and a quicker recovery.
Varicose Surgery
Indications
* Varicose veins that cause circulatory problems (venous
insufficiency)
* Skin irritation and sores (ulcers)
* Blood clots in the veins (phlebitis), which can travel to
the heart, lungs, or brain (embolism)
* Cosmetic purposes
After Treatment
Most patients who undergo varicose vein surgery have good
results.
Some patients could have inflammation and skin
discoloration that lasts for several months.
What is Laser?
Laser stands for Light Amplification by the Stimulated
Emission of Radiation(LASER).
A laser is a light beam that can be precisely focused. It
is used to treat tissues by heating the targeted cells
until they "burst". It may also be used for cosmetic
purposes, including removal of wrinkles, tattoos, or
birthmarks.
There are several types of lasers, including the carbon
dioxide (CO2) laser, the YAG (yttrium aluminum
garnet) laser, and the pulsed dye laser. Each laser
has specific uses. The color of the light beam used is
directly related to the type of procedure being performed
and the color of the tissue being treated.
Laser may be used to:
Remove tumors
Seal blood vessels
Seal lymph vessels to reduce swelling and decrease the
spread of tumor cells
Seal nerve endings to reduce postoperative pain
Remove warts, moles, and tattoos
Reduce the appearance of skin wrinkles
Remove hair
Possible side effects of
laser therapy:
Bleeding
Infection
Pain
Scaring
Skin color changes
