The problems caused by varicose veins are different in everyone that has them. Some people will suffer swollen, tired or painful legs while in others the appearance of varicose veins or spider veins prevent them wearing shorts or bathing costumes.
In about 10% of cases varicose veins cause more severe problems such as: ulcers, bleeding and skin changes.
Our aim is to find the best possible solution for each individual patient with venous problems.
Successful treatment of varicose veins means finding the best treatment option that gives the outcome the patient wants. Our individualised assessment process concentrates on:
This usually involves a consultation, a scan and thereafter a discussion of the treatment options and what to expect from each.
The treatment options for varicose veins used to be limited to surgery or nothing. Now most people can have their veins dealt with without needing an operation with the advantages of:
At the Aberdeen Clinic we use the Venefit™ procedure (endovenous radiofrequency ablation) to treat larger veins, as recommended by the National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE). It is a minimally invasive and virtually painless procedure with less bruising compared to traditional vein stripping surgery or laser treatment.
Sclerotherapy has been used to treat veins for more than 100 years. A very small needle is used to inject a solution (called a ‘sclerosant’) into the vein, causing it to close. In some cases, patients may need more than one treatment to eliminate all unwanted veins.
Foam sclerotherapy is used for longer, larger veins. Foams have a greater surface area than liquids, so a lower concentration covers more of the vein, causing faster shrinkage.
Ultrasound is used as a guide when treating larger veins with foam sclerotherapy. It allows the surgeon to find the exact location of the diseased vein to inject the foam.
