varicose veins

VARICOSE VEINS

Varicose veins are prominent blue and dark purple veins that usually appear in the legs. Usually visible under the surface of the skin, varicose veins are unsightly, painful and can also affect a person’s self-confidence. There are also medical complications involved as varicose veins can lead to blood clots, swollen legs and skin ulcers.

Causes

Veins have valves that transport blood in one direction only. Varicose veins form when these valves fail to work as they should. Also, vein walls lose their elasticity and begin to dilate. When the vein walls increase in size, the valve flaps divide, and blood begins to pool in the vein, causing it to expand.

Symptoms

Varicose veins are visible veins that appear on the legs. These veins swell and are painful. Other signs of varicose veins include:

  • Cramping and a heavy sensation in the lower legs
  • Discoloured and itchy skin near the affected area

Diagnosis

A physical examination to diagnose varicose veins will suffice. An ultrasound detects blood clots and determines how well the valves function. A transducer that's similar to the size of a bar of soap is placed over the affected area. The transducer captures images of the veins. These pictures are sent to a television screen in the doctor’s rooms.

Treatment

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and sclerotherapy are effective ways to rid the legs of varicose veins. Sclerotherapy resolves small varicose veins. Foam sclerotherapy, however, treats large varicose veins. Chemicals known as sclerosing agents are applied to the veins. These chemicals react with tissue and scar the inside of the vein. Varicose veins eventually close and dissipate after a few weeks. For radiofrequency ablation, heat is transferred to the vein via a catheter. The heat source cuts off blood supply to the primary vein. RFA takes about an hour to perform, and recovery takes three hours at most. Patients can return home on the day of the procedure.

"A sound knowledge of pathology is the only safe guide for the hands of a Surgeon, no matter how skilled those hands may be. Indeed, the more skillful they are, the more dangerous they may become without this lantern to light the way. Unless he builds on that solid foundation, the Surgeon may be no better than a hewer of flesh and a drawer of blood"

- Boyd