Modern treatment of varicose veins

Varicose veins are a condition that affects about one-third of the world's population, which is quite a lot. In this regard, the treatment of this pathology requires modern and effective solutions.Medicine is evolving, and modern methods of treating varicose veins are becoming increasingly less invasive and less invasive, helping patients to recover quickly. This type of surgery is performed in a clinic.

How were varicose veins treated in the past?

The problem of varicose veins has been with humans from the moment they stood upright. No other mammal is known to suffer from this condition, so humans have long struggled with it, such as:

1. A cave painting found in the Sahara Desert depicting a man with bandaged feet is approximately 5, 000 years old.
2. In medical manuscripts found in Egypt, there is information that it is not necessary to touch dilated veins under the skin, but many healers still experimented on the wives of the pharaohs - they cauterized diseased veins.
3. The Indians of Central and South America used herbs, especially amaranth, to treat varicose veins.
4. Information about this pathology can also be found in the writings of the Greeks (Hippocrates, Herophilus, and Erasistratus). It is noteworthy that the first of these doctors developed both conservative and surgical treatments.
5. The Roman scientist Celsus used special hooks to combat pathology (interestingly, these devices are still used today in the modern treatment of varicose veins, specifically venectomy).
6. As for China, it is customary to combat diseased blood vessels with leeches, acupuncture, and cautery.
7. In Japan, special emphasis is placed on conservative treatment.
8. The Middle Ages are not without reason called "dark", since in Europe there were many prohibitions related to surgery ("interfering in the affairs of God"), and the affected veins were often just cauterized.
9. At the same time, medicine developed actively in the Middle East - for example, the famous doctor Avicenna tightly bandaged diseased blood vessels (today mainly for prevention or rehabilitation).
10. The Renaissance, the New Age - it was all a time of discovery, including the discovery of medicine. Physicians are increasingly studying the principles of venous circulation. Scientists were developing various surgical methods, some of which are still used today, and were creating new methods of sterile vein ligation.

In the 20th century, people began to study laser therapy and created new, more effective treatments. This process continues, never stopping for a moment. Of course, the way varicose veins are treated today is very different from how it was treated in ancient times.

Modern approaches to treating varicose veins

The latest methods of treating varicose veins are various types of occlusion and coagulation - these are the least invasive procedures. Let’s take a closer look at some modern methods of fighting varicose veins.

intravenous laser coagulation

You can often find this method under the abbreviated name - EVLC. Here's how it works: A laser light guide that heats the blood is placed into the lumen of the diseased vein. As a result, the blood vessels are sealed and the veins turn into connective tissue over a period of time. The process itself lasts 20-30 minutes, after which you may only have to wear the special knitwear for 40-60 minutes. Further conservative and compression treatment is determined by the physician based on medical history. The surgery can be performed on both lower limbs.The advantages of this modern method of treating varicose veins are:

• Duration - only 20-30 minutes;
• Because the procedure is performed through a puncture, the procedure does not require cutting, suturing, or removing sutures;
• Painless (performed under local anesthesia) and safe;
• Quick recovery (you can return to normal life on the day of surgery);
• It is minimally invasive and has a beautiful appearance after the intervention.

However, this treatment also has contraindications, including:

• Leg obesity;
• coagulopathy;
• Extreme stages of the disease, such as marked venous dilation, may require surgery or a combination of treatments;
• Atherosclerosis in the lower extremities is severe and requires special treatment;
• Intolerance to the anesthetic drugs used in EVLT;
• pregnancy and lactation;
• Acute phase deep vein thrombosis;
• Inflammation of the diseased site;

Additionally, EVLT is typically not performed if the patient is unable to be active after surgery, or has a medical condition that prevents them from wearing special stockings to prevent bruising or any complications.

radiofrequency ablation

Another non-surgical, modern treatment for varicose veins is radiofrequency ablation (RFO). Treatment is performed using a radio frequency generator. Therefore, sound waves enter through a special catheter with radiation, heat the vessel wall, and then narrow it.It is worth noting that the vein is completely sealed; after the procedure, just treat the operation site with antiseptic and apply a sterile bandage. What is unique about this approach is that the procedure not only treats varicose veins, but also heart and kidney disease.RFO has the following advantages:

• Painless (local anesthesia is used when applying) and safe;
• Duration does not exceed 40 minutes;
• Results can be seen after just 7 days;
• Little trauma and beautiful appearance;
• Blood vessels are completely "adhesive";
• high efficiency;
• Patients may be able to use this method if they have other medical conditions;
• No additional surgical intervention is required.

There are also contraindications to using this procedure. Among them:

• Inflammatory processes at the site of disease;
• infectious and viral pathology;
• Pregnancy and breastfeeding;
• Venous thrombosis;
• Severe atherosclerosis of the arteries of the lower limbs - as mentioned before, this pathology requires surgical intervention;
• Have an allergic reaction to the anesthetic used during surgery.

In addition, contraindications are when the patient suffers from a pathological condition that prohibits the wearing of compression stockings.

steam annihilation

This method is one of the newest in the history of medicine. So-called "steam injection" combines EVLT and RFO. It is the least invasive compared to other methods and is considered the most versatile method today. Like the above procedures, steam ablation does not require additional hospitalization.The most pleasant advantage of this method is that it can be used at any stage - very deep veins can be treated with this type of intervention. In fact, the vapor penetrates so quickly that it enters the blood vessels without any special obstacles, filling any bends in them.The principle of this method is: pump water under pressure into a tube and heat it with an electric current. The water changes its structure and turns into steam. It enters the container and is converted into water again in the container. The blood vessel wall absorbs the heat generated by this simple operation. heat.Like the process above, this manipulation doesn't last long. The patient recovers quickly, and 30-40 minutes after completing the procedure and wearing compression stockings, he can return to his normal lifestyle.

mechanochemical elimination

It combines mechanical action on the vessel wall with chemical treatment of the patient. After a small puncture is made, a special catheter is placed over the lesion. With its help, a device is inserted to destroy the walls of blood vessels, thus sealing them. The procedure is performed on the intravenous surface, so no anesthetic is required. At the end of the procedure, cover the puncture site with a sterile bandage or napkin. Additionally, the patient must wear compression stockings for 30-40 minutes.Since occlusion does not require anesthesia, this method can be used if the patient is intolerant to anesthetics. It is also recommended for those with a lower pain threshold. Additionally, this procedure can also be performed if the patient has a trophic ulcer.Rapid recovery, return to normal lifestyle as quickly as possible, minimal restrictions during recovery – these are all advantages of the above-mentioned treatment methods. The advantage of mechanochemical ablation is the reduced risk of infection due to minimal trauma.

Adhesive elimination

Another procedure that may be recommended for patients with varicose veins is called adhesion occlusion. It is important to note that there is no need to wear special knitwear after the procedure is completed.Like the other methods above, this one requires no incisions: a special glue is injected into the lumen of the diseased blood vessel, sealing the lining and redirecting blood circulation through healthy veins.This treatment can be used in patients with complications from varicose veins (usually visible on the lower legs). The intervention is also suitable for patients with larger diameters of the affected veins (unlike the methods described above).

Which modern treatment for varicose veins is the most effective?

All of the above methods of treating varicose veins are very effective, but each method has its own characteristics, with specific procedures recommended for specific patients. If a person has contraindications to wearing compression stockings, and/or has some varicose vein complications, he will be prescribed viscoobliteration. If an allergic reaction to any anesthetic is possible, a qualified specialist may prescribe mechanical chemical elimination.Furthermore, the criteria for choosing the most appropriate varicose vein treatment are as follows:

1. Safe, no adverse reactions.
2. efficiency.
3. The duration for which results are saved.

This last point deserves a separate discussion because the criteria are very representative, with one analysis based on the results of 119 studies comparing RF, surgery, sclerotherapy, and EVLT.Therefore, these results (percentage indicators) indicate:

1. Five years after surgery, the effectiveness of EVLT increased from 92. 9 to 95. 4. The effectiveness of this approach dropped from 88. 9 to 79. 9 over 5 years compared to RFO.
2. As for the results of surgical intervention, the effectiveness of this method dropped from 80. 4 to 75. 7 in 5 years. In the latter case, you can also see the effectiveness of sclerotherapy drop from 82. 1 to 73. 5 over 5 years, however, where more effective treatments are not available, procedures such as surgery are often resorted to. Varicose veins.

From this study, we can clearly conclude that the most advanced and effective method for treating varicose veins today is EVLT because, unlike other methods compared, its effectiveness increases over time whileNot the other way around, its effectiveness will be reduced. It is worth noting that the clinic performs all the procedures noted in the article to help patients treat varicose veins.