Diagnosis and treatment
Despite characteristic features, sometimes even an experienced vascular surgeon finds it difficult to answer the question of what disease that causes the patient's discomfort. The diagnosis can be made only based on a detailed medical history, physical examination and very often non-compatible laboratory test results. Therefore in this case, the best instrument for examination is the Doppler ultrasound of vessels with its right assessment of velocity and flow spectrum. In addition, we use it for measurement of segmental pressures in atherosclerosis and for calculation of the ankle-brachial index (so-called ABI index). While most cases of spinal diseases and the initial stages of atherosclerosis can be successfully treated with appropriately selected exercises and medications, conservative treatment of chronic venous insufficiency is burdensome and often ineffective. Drugs for varicose veins are often dietary supplements with a negligible effect on varicose veins. Even if using of the compression stockings is a quite effective method to reduce the swelling and inflammation, they are uncomfortable in daily use, causing great discouragement for the patient. Therefore, whenever possible, patients should be treated in a surgical manner.
Varicose vein treatment
Modern methods of interventional treatment are outpatient and minimally invasive methods. Patients can return home immediately after the procedure and in most cases immediately return to their normal physical activity. Practising large operations related to hospital stay involve administering of anesthesia to the spinal cord, and are associated with skin cuts, vein pulling and suturing. These are painful and unnecessary interventions slowly becoming a thing of the past. Currently the most effective and, above all, the safest methods of treating chronic venous insufficiency, are intravenous procedures performed by skin punctures, controlled by ultrasound guaranteeing precision and safety. There are many methods available, i.a thermal (laser and RF), chemical (tissue sclerosants), mechanical-chemical and recently even ultrasonic (HIFU). The vascular surgeon is able to choose the right method for each patient or apply several of them simultaneously, which makes all the procedures extremely safe. It should be noted that the cosmetic effect of such treatment is often excellent.
Varicose vein prevention
Unfortunately, there is no ideal way to prevent varicose veins, as it is usually a genetic disease. By applying appropriate medical recommendations you can only delay its progress.