Varicose Vein Treatment

Varicose veins occur because blood flows down leg veins towards the feet, rather than away from the feet towards the heart. Normal veins have valves in them, which are structures that act as one-way doors permitting blood flow in 1 direction- that is towards the heart. When these valves malfunction, they permit blood to flow in both directions. This means there is more blood flowing to the feet than there should be. This then leads to the complications of varicose veins and Chronic Venous Insufficiency.

It therefore follows that the vein treatment should be to close off these abnormal routes that blood takes. Blood then flows through normal healthy veins which appropriately direct the blood back to the heart.

Traditionally, the malfunctioning veins used to be stripped off, a rather traumatic way of removing them from the venous system. This procedure requires general or regional anaesthetic, hospital stay and prolonged recovery.

Endovenous ablation is the technique of choice now. What we do is seal off the malfunctioning vein but leave it in-situ. There is no need to remove it so avoiding the trauma of stripping. Endovenous ablation is accomplished using either heat to denature proteins in the wall of the veins causing the veins to shrink and seal shut, or by using chemicals that damage the cells in the veins walls, also causing the vein to seal shut.

A needle is inserted into the malfunctioning vein and through this the ablation device is inserted. The device is activated along the length of the vein causing it to occlude. Patients can get up off the operating table and walk soon after the procedure. Overnight stay is not necessary. Time away from work is minimal.