Varices are caused by inferiority of venous wall leading to aneurysm, which is visible under the skin. The reasons for removing of varices are aesthetic as well as medical. Plastic surgery offers several methods to remove them.
Why to treat varices?
Untreated varices lead to development of thrombi and risk of venous ulceration. Medicine can heal these pathological veins and prevent risks caused by this disease.
Types of varix treatment
There are several possibilities how to treat varices: miniinvasive operation CHIVA, laser treatment and process of sclerotisation.
Miniinvasive operation CHIVA
It is a highly efficient method of removing varices. The choice to use this method does not depend on age, but rather on your state of health. It has a big advantage, because it does not require residential treatment.
Are you a suitable candidate for minioperation CHIVA?
If you look for a gentle miniinvasive treatment of varices, are in a good state of health and in a good mental condition, you will probably be a suitable candidate for this treatment.
Operational procedure
With the help of this operation, it is possible to remove varices of all sizes. A small stab or cut, with size of approximately 1-3 mm, will be done on precisely chosen places to tie up the varices, cut them short and remove some of them. The operation will be supplemented by sclerose or laser treatment. The target of this method is to remove all varices which are unnecessary and will not be missed after the operation.
In most cases, it is not necessary to suture the cuts or stags, patch suture is sufficient.
Before the operation
During the first consultation, the doctor is going to check your state of health and examine clinically the vascular system of lower limbs – it means arteries, deep and surface veins. You will probably have to undergo a duplex ultrasonic scan. On the base of these examinations, the doctor is going to suggest the method of treatment. More techniques can be used.
As a part of pre-operational preparation, you have to organize your transport home.
Anesthesia
Miniinvasive operation CHIVA is a very gentle treatment and the removing of varices is usually done under local anesthesia. There will be an injection of an anesthetic to the treated places or you may get some tranquillizers. You will be awake during the operation, but with a relaxed feeling and without pain. You may feel a very light pain, which can be reduced by cooling the skin surface.
If you require it, the surgeon can choose in some cases short general anesthesia. Then you will sleep during the whole operation. You may have to stay overnight in the hospital.
After the operation
In case of treatment under local anesthesia, it is possible to go home in approximately 2 hours after the end of the operation.
It is recommended to wear bandages or compression stockings at least 14 days after the treatment, but preferably longer.
It is necessary to avoid sport activities as skiing, rowing, dancing in the first 4-6 weeks. Common exercise can be done in 2-3 weeks after the operation. Your doctor is going to inform you about all the details, the measures are highly individual and depend on the extent of the treatment.
The stabs or cuts caused by the treatment will usually heal in one week. Small bruises disappear in approximately 2-6 weeks. A little bit lower sensation at the place of the stab soon returns to the normal.
A small scar can remain at the place of the cut or stab. It fades out soon but never disappears completely. The disappearing of the bruises can be sped up by a heparin ointment recommended by your doctor.
Results of varix removing through miniinvasive operation CHIVA
The method is highly efficient, however the varices may appear again. It depends on the genetic quality of venous walls. But even if they do appear, it is mostly in a much smaller extent than previously.
Laser treatment
Laser treatment is a modern non-operative method suitable for treatment of large-scale varices.
The procedure of laser removing of varices
The method of catheterization is used: a laser sensor is brought to the vein through a small stab, the sensor seals the vein, which causes varices, from the inner side and makes it impassable.
The varices can be subsequently removed operationally or left to disappear naturally.
Before the treatment
You should discuss the possibilities of this method with the doctor during your consultation. The type of your varices may be unsuitable for being removed with this method.
The doctor is going to recommend a duplex ultrasonic scan, which is going to prove, whether this type of operation is suitable for you.
The operation can be done without residential treatment. As a part of pre-operational preparation, you should organize your transport home and eventually someone to help you for 1-2 days.
Are you a suitable candidate for laser removing of varices?
If the ultrasonic scan proved that the type of your varices can be treated by this method, you are in a good state of health and good mental condition, you may be a suitable candidate for this treatment.
Inform your doctor about all health complications, above all if you suffer from deep vein thrombosis, ischaemic disease of lower limbs or if you are pregnant. Your age does not matter much, important is above all your state of health.
Anesthesia
Combined methods of anesthesia are used in most cases, for example analgosedation or local anesthesia through an injection of an anesthetic to the treated places or you may get some sedatives. This methods are very gentle compared to the conventional general anesthesia.
After the treatment
In most cases, it is possible to go home in approximately 2 hours after the end of the operation, accompanied by another person. If the treatment is more complicated, you may have to stay in hospital for a longer time.
How long will the results last?
The laser method is highly efficient, however the varices may appear again. It depends above all on the quality of venous walls, which is determined genetically. In case of larger veins, the laser method may not be sufficient.
Sclerotization
The procedure of sclerotization is recommended if you suffer from microvarices, it means varices with diameter 1mm or less.
The treatment includes an injection of a special substance directly to the veins with thin needles. The veins are then absorbed. Sclerotiazation is used as an additional process during the operation or thereafter.
If the client has only isolated varices, it is possible to do just sclerotization with subsequent recommendation to wear elastic compression stocking (II compression class) for a time period, which is specified individually according to the extent of the varices. Sclerotiazation is also a method recommended to prevent further spread of varices.
Are you a suitable client for Sclerotiazation ?
If your varices are not suitable for an operation, you may be a candidate for this method. However, if your varices can be operated, it is not recommended to undergo sclerotization, because the varices appear after this treatment very often again. Sclerotization does not bring the required cosmetic effect in this case. It is therefore necessary to discuss openly with the doctor which method is suitable for you.
Before the treatment
Before the treatment, it is necessary to observe darker traces at the place of small veins. It is caused by pigmentation from pathological veins. It is necessary to realize that this traces will be more visible for some time after the treatment, but disappear later. This process always depends on the individual healing capacity. It is important to consider that this pigmentation may last for a long time and sometimes never disappears.
After the treatment
Sclerotization is efficient only if the limbs are bandaged with elastic bandage, compression stocking or special covers. The compression prevents return flow of blood to the sclerosed vein and its re-bulge. The compression period is always individual, depends on the extent of the treatment and size of treated veins. Minimum compression period lasts for 1 month.
It is necessary to repeat sclerose 2-4 times in 2-6 weeks. Small bruises (hematoma) disappear in 2-4 weeks.