Inopportune access to a phlebologist with developed varicose veins is the main reason why it is too late to act on the disease with ointment or gel. The doctor has to prescribe a more effective treatment, among which the most effective is surgery for varicose veins in the legs.
Don't forget that even surgical removal of the affected vessel does not guarantee a complete cure: the disease can spread to healthy tissues.
Phlebologist: why contact him
Who should be contacted if there is a suspicion of varicose veins? Do not wait for the disease to spread, as the first symptoms should be the main reason for seeking medical help. Only a phlebologist can confirm or deny the diagnosis and must be contacted first. Only he, if necessary, can refer to another specialist.
For what symptoms should you see a phlebologist right away? They are not so few:
- bright asterisks of blood vessels that appear in the lower extremities;
- heaviness in the legs, often accompanied by severe swelling;
- seizures, most often bothersome at night;
- changes the skin tone, becomes darker and less natural.
If you don't rush to the hospital, the disease will start to develop quickly, the spider veins will start to enlarge and protrude above the skin. The only treatment option in such cases is surgery for varicose veins in the legs, which will be prescribed by a phlebologist after a full examination.
What types of leg surgery can a phlebologist prescribe?
Surgical treatment may be prescribed depending on the degree of vascular damage. Only a phlebologist can determine what method is needed to get rid of the disease, but this will require a series of studies.
Types of leg surgery:
- Miniphlebectomy. It is done with minor vascular injuries. During the operation, the doctor performs punctures, through which the veins are removed. After the procedure, small defects remain in the lower extremities, which are almost invisible.
- Phlebectomy. The most common surgery, but also the most traumatic for the skin, which leaves scars. The surgeon makes long incisions through which he removes the vessels affected by the disease. Rehabilitation is short: the next day, the patient can go home.
- Stripping short. No incisions are made: the surgeon makes several perforations through which only the diseased part of the vessel is removed.
- Sclerotherapy. A special substance is injected into the affected vessels, which sticks the destroyed tissues. There is no postoperative period: the patient can go home immediately after the procedure.
- Endovenous coagulation. Exposing the affected veins with a laser is the safest and fastest treatment method. Efficacy and painlessness are the main advantages of the treatment.
Surgery for varicose veins in the legs is the most extreme treatment option, although in most cases it turns out to be the most effective.
Varicose vein laser surgery
New methods in medicine make it possible to get rid of the affected vessels of the lower extremities with virtually no pain and with minor injuries. Laser surgery for varicose veins is an excellent alternative to surgical treatment.
When is intravenous coagulation indicated? There are not so few reasons for the operation, and all do not respond to local treatment or pills:
- varicose veins, in which large and important vessels for life were affected;
- heaviness and swelling in the lower extremities that do not respond to other treatments;
- trophic changes were found in the skin;
- the lower extremities are covered in ulcers that are not affected by topical medications.
How is the operation going? The surgeon makes an incision in front of the affected vessel and inserts a special probe with a laser tip. The laser sticks the affected areas of the vessel, after which the next incision is made and the restoration of the vein continues.
Laser treatment: what are the advantages of the method over other operations
Despite the considerable number of types of operations for varicose veins, it is the laser effect that has gained popularity among patients. Here the low cost of the procedure plays an important role, but most often the victims of the disease are attracted by the absence of pain during the operation and the efficiency.
Laser treatment has many benefits that also appeal to patients:
- immediately after the operation, you can go home and start your daily activities;
- the procedure is performed under local anesthesia;
- there are no consequences on the skin;
- the procedure takes a few hours;
- no need to recover from surgery;
- there is no risk of bruising or bleeding;
- the procedure has practically no contraindications.
Before the operation, you will need to undergo special studies that will help to determine exactly that there is no other treatment option. During a further examination, it will also be revealed if there are any contraindications and whether the laser operation will lead to complications or side effects.
Consequences that may arise after the operation
Even if the operation, despite the chosen method, was successful, there is no guarantee that unpleasant and unexpected consequences will not arise. Very often, especially if a surgical intervention was used, scars remain that can last a lifetime. To avoid this, you can find out in advance from your doctor which medications or home remedies promote healing and prevent scars.
Another consequence that can occur after surgery is a relapse of the disease. Even if the procedure was successful, doctors cannot guarantee that healthy tissues will not be affected by the disease. Of course, this will not happen immediately, but it is better to carefully monitor the condition of the vessels, and at the first signs of damage, immediately consult a doctor.
You can ask your doctor how to avoid unpleasant consequences immediately after the operation. The phlebologist is obliged not only to say in detail what measures will serve as prevention, but also to recommend medications or folk remedies that can be used at home to prevent a relapse.
Rehabilitation: what to do to avoid complications after surgery
Only after various types of surgery may you need rehabilitation, and this period has its own characteristics. The requirements and standards that the patient must meet are determined by the specialist separately, on an individual basis.
Most of the time, during the rehabilitation period, medical underwear is prescribed, which helps to strengthen the walls of the vessels on which the surgery was performed. The class and type of compression stockings are prescribed only by a doctor, this cannot be done independently in any case; a mistake in the choice threatens to re-develop the disease. The phlebologist also determines the duration of the use of medical underwear: for some patients, several weeks are enough, for others, with complications, they will have to wear a sweater for a longer period.
Another stage of recovery is taking special medications that restore blood flow to the vessels undergoing surgery. The drugs are prescribed only by a phlebologist, and many of the remedies have many contraindications that must be carefully examined before taking them.
Surgery for varicose veins in the legs is almost the only way to get rid of a progressive disease. You should not be afraid to go to the doctor if the disease develops quickly and inexorably, affecting healthy tissues; if you do not stop the disease immediately, even the operation may be powerless.