Varicose Veins

What are Varicose Veins in legs?

Varicose Veins in the legs

Varicose veins are twisted, enlarged veins near the surface of the skin. They are mostly seen in legs and ankles. Varicose veins are caused by weakened valves and veins in the legs.

Clinical manifestation

• Patient may often feel legs to be heavy, swollen and weary.
• The skin layer veins of the lower leg gradually bulge, stretch and sometimes curl into a mass shapes especially after standing. This disppears after the legs have been raised.
• During the course of the disease patient ma experience pigmentation problems and edema. Varicose veins are likely to damage, bleed or become ulcerous as result of infection.

Pathology

• Long periods of standing up
• Long periods of sitting down
• Long periods bearing heavy objects
• People with a medical history of deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
• The elderly and people with vein wall weakness
• Wounds to the lower log

Symptoms worsen if untreated

• Pain
• Edema
• Vein inflammation
• Celulitis
• Ulcer

Therapy

• Physical Therapy
  • Medical flexible bandage
  • Indirect pneumatic compression
  • Varicose vein stocking
• Medication
  • Strengthen the tension of veins
  • Improve the penetration of veins
• Vein ligation and removal via surgical intervention
• Vein closing operation (Endo Venous Laser Treatment)
• Sclerosis closed operation

Prevention of varicose veins

1. Raise up the legs when taking a rest or sleeping.
Varicose Veins are caused from tired vein flexibility so it will be helpful to improve the blood flow back to the heart in order to reduce the varicose veins by raising the legs up higher than the heart.

1. Raise up the legs when taking a rest or sleeping.
Varicose Veins are caused from tired vein flexibility so it will be helpful to improve the blood flow back to the heart in order to reduce the varicose veins by raising the legs up higher than the heart.

2. Compression stockings.
Compression stockings when wore on the legs help the blood return into the larger and deeper veins.

3. Avoid wearing high-heeled shoes.
Compression stockings when wore on the legs help the blood return into the larger and deeper veins.

4. Keep to an ideal weight
Overweight people are more susceptible to varicose veins.

5. Prescribed oral contraceptives
Contraceptive drugs may cause vein thrombosis and pider veins.

6. Avoid bodysuits
The body suits that are too tight which avoids the blood flow in the body.

7. Strengthen the muscle of the veins in the legs and feet
By doing exercise such as dancing, playing golf, swimming, riding bicycle and working frequently.

8. Leg massage
Patient should not massage the Varicose vein as this may cause thrombosis.

Varicose Vein Therapy

1. Compression Therapy
Wearing compression stockings on the legs helps blood to return the the larger and deeper veins.

2. Surgical intervention
Traiditional vein ligation which involves removal by surgical intervention. The procedure involves a hospital stay of 5 days and a 1-2 week, post-operative rest period before resuming usual daily activities.

3. Endo Vascular Laser Treatment (EVLT)
Guided by laser, which involves the inseration of a needle into the veins, the duct draws into blood vessel, gradually closing the veins via laser energy. There is almost no wound and no destruction of the surrounding tissue. No hospitalization is required and only a post-operative rest period of 2-3 days is necessary before usual daily activities may be resumed.

4. Skin surface Laser Therapy
Suitable for smaller diameter spider veins

5. Minimally invasive veins removal surgery
Suitable for dia 3-5 mm mesh varicose veins. In terms of time, the results are good for local anesthesia and smaller

6. Subfascial Endoscopic Perforator Surgery (SEPS)
Is minimally invasive surgical technique used to treat chronic venous ulcer caused by perforating veins that may have been damaged due to deep vein thrombosis.