Medicover
- Varicose veins: a disease or cosmetic imperfection?
- When should I see a doctor?
- Mini-phlebectomy
- Radiofrequency (RF) surgery for lower limb varicose veins
We want our legs to always be healthy and beautiful and to look their best. Can varicose veins stand in our way to this goal? Unfortunately, they can but they can also be successfully eliminated! Let’s take action.
Lower limb varicose veins are a serious problem, not only cosmetically but also in terms of health. Many people suffer from varicose veins—women more often than men. In Poland, 1/3 of women suffer from venous diseases of the legs, and over 40% of Polish women ignore their first symptoms, namely- heaviness of legs, cramps and pain in calves, swelling or the so-called "spider veins".
Varicose veins: a disease or cosmetic imperfection?
Most patients treat varicose veins as a purely cosmetic problem, as a defect to be hidden under trousers, but not necessarily treated. This, however, is misguided reasoning.
Venous insufficiency is, despite the appearances, a serious health problem which, if untreated, can lead to unpleasant complications. Varicose veins in the lower limbs promote inflammation of the superficial veins, accompanied by swelling, soreness and redness of the skin.
Venous insufficiency increases the risk of thrombosis in the deep venous system, which can even lead to life-threatening pulmonary embolism. Varicose veins are caused by a decrease in the strength and elasticity of the walls of the veins carrying blood to the heart. This is accompanied by a condition called incompetence of valves of the superficial veins whose task is to prevent the backflow of blood in the veins. The blood flows towards the lower limbs, causing excess pressure in the veins, which leads to their dilatation, i.e. to the formation of varicose veins. These changes are irreversible and require specialist surgical treatment.
- If you have varicose veins
- When you are bothered by the appearance of your legs
- When a leg suddenly swells
- When varicose veins are accompanied by pain
- When you develop skin changes (reddened or brownish skin)
- When you develop open wounds (ulcers)
The treatment process begins with a medical consultation with a vascular surgeon. Based on a clinical assessment and Doppler ultrasound, the doctor evaluates the venous flow, anatomy and presence of valve incompetence, as well as any deviations from norm. Based on all this information, the doctor will decide what type of treatment is most appropriate for your case. THE FORM
Contact us to learn more about our offer and get more details
Call 500 900 900
or fill in the form – and we will call you back.
Treatments offered at Medicover Hospital
The treatment of varicose veins of the lower limbs includes obliterative methods, i.e. injecting veins with a special solution, or surgical methods leading to the closure or removal of the varicose veins. Contemporary treatment methods, apart from being highly effective, also guarantee a good cosmetic effect.
This is particularly true for minimally invasive methods. As the name suggests, they are patient-friendly and leave no visible cosmetic imperfections. Let's take care of our legs so that surgeries of this type are not necessary. Wear comfortable shoes, get rid of tight clothes from your wardrobe, move more often, give up smoking, avoid high temperatures (e.g. in saunas and on sun beds), massage your legs regularly, and above all, if you notice any symptoms, go to see your doctor as soon as possible. The sooner we react, the better the result.
Ligation and excision of varicose veins - the veins of the lower limb (tibial veins) - is the procedure performed to treat small varicose veins. It can be of benefit to patients whose venous changes do not qualify for sclerotherapy without requiring major surgery. Mini-phlebectomy is a modern procedure that removes dilated veins by making 2-3 mm micro-incisions in the skin. It is performed in the same-day surgery setting. The procedure itself takes about 40 minutes and the patient can leave the hospital just a few hours afterwards. The great advantage is the very good cosmetic effect.
Radiofrequency (RF) surgery for lower limb varicose veins
Radiofrequency (RF) varicose vein treatment is a thermal treatment used to treat varicose veins of the lower limbs by closing the incompetent great saphenous vein trunk with radiofrequency current.
The radiofrequency (RF) thermal ablation method is currently one of the most modern and safest methods of closing incompetent leg veins. Even large veins of up to 10 mm in diameter can be closed using the RF method.
During the procedure, a probe is inserted into the vein under ultrasound guidance and emits a high-frequency electrical impulses. The energy that is transferred raises the temperature of the vein walls (to 120 degrees Celsius), which causes thermal injury to the vessel wall, resulting in the narrowing of the vessel and subsequent fibrosis.
After the procedure, a compression bandage or a grade 2 compression stocking is applied.
The procedure is performed under subarachnoid anaesthesia. The duration of hospital stay is usually just 1 day.
Advantages of using radiofrequency thermal ablation:
- high efficiency: 95-97%
- no scars after the procedure
- only minor injury due to vein puncture
- minor pain in the post-operative period (the patient usually does not require pain treatment)
- no large haematomas in the postoperative period
- short convalescence period allowing the patient to return to work after a few days
- possibility to treat both limbs at the same time
Contact us to learn more about our offer and get more details
Call 500 900 900
or fill in the form – and we will call you back.
Szpital Medicover
Aleja Rzeczypospolitej 5
02-972 Warszawa
