Varicose Veins

Varicose veins are large veins of the leg that become incompetent and lose the function of their valves. As a result blood pools backwards into these veins and causes them to dilate engorge and become visible. They are usually the underlying cause of many smaller spider veins as well as the increased venous pressure spills out into the small little blood vessels called capillaries and causes them to engorge. The traditional treatment for this problem involved using ultrasound technology to first identify where the incompetence is and identify the specific vein or valves causing the problem. Once determined, the next step is to simply surgically make small incisions in the leg and strip these veins out. This procedure involves the use of anesthetic and involves small surgical scars to find and remove the vein. Post operatively compression garments have to e worn to help prevent recurrence and improve healing.

EVLT is a much newer method of varicose vein treatent and is done much differently than traditional vein stripping . Once the isolated problem vein is identified. A small single needle is inserted into the leg vein to enter it and a fibre is passed up to the vein using special imaging equipment. The vein is then burned out from inside out with a laser at the tip of the fibre. The advantage of this procedure is that there are no incisions commonly associated with striping and the procedure can be performed under local anesthetic only.