Varicose veins can cause severe discomfort in your legs. Left untreated, they can even lead to skin ulcers.
Various minimally invasive varicose vein removal Adelaide procedures are available that may help reduce the appearance of varicose veins and improve symptoms. Your healthcare provider may suggest one of them as treatment.
Endovenous laser treatment
Varicose veins, also known as varicose arteries, are enlarged veins that most frequently develop in the legs and affect up to 40 per cent of people worldwide. Though usually hereditary in origin, varicose veins can worsen with age, obesity and pregnancy – often leading to pain, itching and discomfort in their victims but rarely leading to long-term health effects.
Varicose veins can be treated in multiple ways, including endovenous laser therapy (EVLT). EVLT is a minimally invasive process that closes off diseased veins, improving circulation and eventually making the varicose veins vanish over time.
Under ultrasound guidance, laser energy is directed into malfunctioning veins causing your varicose veins. Once heating the vein, the laser seals it closed.
Over time, your body will naturally reabsorb any damaged veins and redirect blood flow towards healthier veins – this method of treating varicose veins is safe and efficient.
This minimally invasive procedure doesn’t require hospitalisation or surgery; most patients can return to work and other daily activities immediately following treatment.
Before the procedure begins, a local anesthetic will be administered to numb the area. Next, your physician will insert a catheter (thin tube) into your leg to guide a thin tool using laser or radiofrequency waves to generate heat.
Your varicose vein removal Adelaide doctor will use an ultrasound scan to locate the affected vein and insert a wire through a small incision in your skin. After threading it through your vein, they’ll use a small tool to seal off damaged areas.
Vein laser treatment is a safe and effective option that has reduced risk and complications compared to invasive vein-stripping surgery. The process usually requires only about an hour of outpatient visits.
During your procedure, bruising and tenderness may occur, which typically subside within one or two weeks. After treatment, you should wear compression socks for at least 24 hours post-procedure to assist circulation and minimise bruising.
Within the first week following EVLT, you will be instructed to walk regularly to improve circulation and prevent blood clot formation. After this initial period has passed, regular activities should resume once your doctor has determined that all treated veins are free from clots.
Radiofrequency occlusion
Radiofrequency occlusion effectively solves varicose veins and chronic venous insufficiency (CVI). This endovenous procedure entails inserting a catheter heated with radiofrequency into an enlarged leg vein; ultrasound guidance ensures precise placement; then radiofrequency energy is applied to collapse and close off abnormal veins, redirecting blood back through healthy ones naturally.
Once the area has been rendered numb, our physician makes a small incision near your knee or groin and threads a thin, flexible tube called a catheter into your vein until reaching your target location.
When your doctor has placed the catheter into an enlarged vein, you may hear a click and sense a slight pressure indicating confirmation that it has been placed correctly.
Dependent upon the vein being treated, burning pain and hypersensitivity may be experienced at its insertion site. An ice pack may help alleviate pain while simultaneously reducing swelling.
After your procedure, it is recommended to wear either compression stockings or bandages for several days to reduce swelling and bleeding, and elevation instructions to reduce the risk of bruising will also be given to help protect legs from being bruised during recovery.
Your doctor will discuss any risks involved, such as infection, bruising, bleeding and nerve or skin damage in the area where treatment occurs.
Sclerotherapy
Sclerotherapy is an innovative varicose vein removal Adelaide treatment designed to eradicate unsightly varicose veins without anesthesia and typically takes 30 to 45 minutes for results.
Sclerotherapy’s primary purpose is to obliterate underlying blood vessels that contribute to varicose veins. It injects a solution directly into affected veins that irritates their inner linings, forcing them to collapse and form scar tissue over time.
Doctors use a tiny needle to inject sclerotherapy solution directly into veins using ultrasound technology as guidance, targeting only those veins which must be eliminated. Individuals might experience mild burning sensations or cramping for several minutes during treatment; it should subside quickly afterwards.
Sclerotherapy may take multiple sessions depending on the size and location of the varicose veins to effectively eliminate them; any remaining veins could remain visible for months after treatment has taken effect; consequently, follow-up appointments must be scheduled to ensure all veins have been eradicated.