Varicose Veins

What are varicose veins and chrnonic venous insufficiency?

Varicose veins are engorged and enlarged veins that look like twisted cords mostly in the legs. They often bulge above the skin’s surface and may appear flesh-colored, red, or blue. At any given time more than 20 million Americans, both men and women, have varicsoe veins, but only 1.9 million get treatrment. Varicose veins left untreated may progess to chronic venous insufficiency with more serious sequlae.

What causes varicose veins?

Varicose veins take shape when the valves in the veins no longer function properly, causing blood to leak backwards towards the feet and pool in the legs. Aging can contribute to their formation because veins lose elasticity, stretch, and weaken over time, making it harder for blood to flow back to the heart. Females are more prone to get varicose veins. Pregnancy, Family history of varicose veins, obesity, and lifestyle that requires prolonged standing may also increase one's risk.

What are the symptoms of varicose veins?

Itching, burning, heaviness, discomfort, pain, restless leg syndrome, swelling, skin discoloration, ulcers

How are varicose veins diagnosed?

Physical examination and non-invasive ultrasound imaging

How are the varicose veins treated?

Lifestyle Changes

Good skin hygiene, leg elevation, diet and exercise with weight loss are simple and helpful modifications. Low salt diet reduces water retention and swelling.

Compression Stockings

Wearing prescription, medical-grade, properly fitting support stockings is the most conservative approach, especially when the veins are causing uncomfortable symptoms or pain or when non-healing wounds/ulcers ensue. They come in various sizes such as below-the-knee, thigh-high and pantyhose style.

Sclerotherapy Injections

Since the 1930s, injections of concentrated saline (salt) solution or a detergent injected into the veins make them harder initially and disappear eventually in 3-6 weeks. However, we use FDA-approved medications, Sotradecol® or Polidocanol®, with or without ultrasonic guidance, to treat spiders and smaller sized varicose veins.

Laser and Intense Pulse Light (IPL) Therapy

These devices use heat energy, with minor discomfort, to damage or destroy the abnormal vessels. Discoloration, staining and blister formation are their potential side effects. Lasers and IPL devices may be useful in treating these veins particularly on the face.

Surgery

Vein ligation (tying off a vein) and venous stripping (removal of a long segment of the vein) used to be the most commonly used surgical modalities but have fallen out of favor given the newer, less invasive ablation procedures. Other treatment options include ambulatory phlebectomy and endoscopic surgery.

Endo-venous Ablation

Dr. Bokhari, Board Certified in Endovascular Medicine, specialize in minimally-invasive endovenous ablation therapy using various modalities including, but not limited to, laser, radiofrequency, varithena and venseal to treat the symptomatic, chronic venous insufficiency caused by significant venous reflux. It is an outpatient, office-based, approximately a 45 minute procedure with no need for hospitalization or general anesthesia and minimal to no downtime that results in immediate recovery but long lasting results.

Please watch the Videos below for demonstrations on the VenaSeal™ closure system and Covidien ClosureFast™ venous Endovenous Ablation treatments.

Please call us today at 951-682-6900 to make an appointment!!