Treatment of Varicose Veins of Legs without Surgery

Varicose veins treeatment without surgery - laser - injection - CLaCS - Dr. Hossam El Mahdy

Laser therapy, injection therapy, or a combination of the CLaCS technique, along with lifestyle changes, are the most popular ways to treat varicose veins without surgery.
Wrong daily practices such as standing or sitting for a long period of time while working or studying lead to the appearance of the problem of varicose veins in the legs, which causes the legs to have an unpleasant appearance. With the development of modern medical technologies, it has become possible to get rid of the problem of varicose veins in the legs in simple and safe ways.

How does varicose veins of legs occur?
Varicose veins are formed as a result of swollen veins and blood accumulation due to increased pressure on the veins of the lower body while standing or walking.

Important information about varicose veins of legs:
- Women are more likely to have varicose veins than men.
- Varicose veins affect approximately 30% of women and 10% of men, according to statistics.
- Ulcers resulting from varicose veins may affect about 20% of those who suffer from varicose veins.
- There are approximately 3.5 million Egyptians with varicose veins.

What are the symptoms of varicose veins of legs?
- The appearance of swollen veins clearly on the surface of the skin of the legs.
- Feeling of heaviness in the feet.
- Leg pain.
- Some cramps or throbbing in the legs.
- Feeling of itching in the affected leg.
- Change in skin color.

Factors that may lead to varicose veins of legs:
- Age, the older you are, the greater the risk of developing varicose veins.
- Gender, Women are more likely to have varicose veins than men.
- Standing or sitting for a long period of time.
- Carrying heavy objects.
- Being overweight or obese: being overweight puts extra pressure on the veins; which weakens their walls.
- Pregnancy: Pregnancy is one of the reasons for the increased risk in females, as the weight of the fetus puts pressure on the veins in the mother’s legs.

Varicose veins of legs complications:
Varicose veins of legs can lead to many complications if the treatment plans are neglected. The most important risks of varicose veins are:
- Chronic ulcers of the skin and hardening of tissues just under the skin.
- Blood clots form inside the affected veins, and the risk is doubled when they cause a pulmonary embolism.
- Bleeding due to rupture of veins near the skin, especially upon accident or injury.
- Varicose veins also cause heaviness and swelling in the legs, which impedes the patient's motor activity, so he feels tired quickly.

Steps for dealing with varicose veins of legs:
- Lifestyle change: Following a healthy lifestyle helps to relieve the pain and improve the case by exercising, avoiding standing and sitting for long period of time, losing excess weight, avoiding wearing tight clothes and raising the legs.
- Wearing compression socks: Wearing compression socks is one of the first steps in the treatment phase, as pressure helps to move blood inside the legs well.
- Non-surgical treatments: such as injection therapy, laser therapy and the newest ever CLaCS treatment.

Varicose veins treatment by injection:
Treatment of varicose veins by injection is a procedure that aims to get rid of varicose veins and improve the appearance of the leg. It is considered to be one of the oldest methods used in the removal of varicose veins, and also one of the safest methods, as the treatment is carried out without surgery, through the injection of the inner lining of the vein; Which causes hardening of the vein and then its disappearance.

Treatment begins with the injection of a substance that helps to harden the veins. This substance is in a specific solution and the concentrations of the injection materials vary depending on the size of the treated vein.

Prof. Dr. Hossam El-Mahdy performs the injection step under ultrasound control, and the solution causes severe spasms in the vein because it irritates the lining of the blood vessels to stick together and close the dilated vein.

The patient may feel a little discomfort for one to two minutes, especially when larger veins are injected. The procedure takes approximately 15-30 minutes and the time varies depending on the number and the area of the veins being injected, as well as the patient's medical condition.

Preparation before varicose veins treatment:
- Conducting the necessary medical examinations and tests before the procedure.
- Clarify all health problems that the patient suffers from and the medications that are being taken.
- Fasting for 6 hours before the injection.

Post-injection recovery phase:
- The doctor asks the patient to walk and move the legs immediately after the injection to prevent clots formation.
- Compression socks are worn for two weeks after the procedure.
- The treatment of varicose veins by injection does not require a long recovery period, as the patient can return to daily activities on the same day of the procedure, and it is advised to stay away from exercising for two weeks after the procedure.
– Avoid exposure to the sun after the procedure, as it leads to the appearance of dark spots on the skin.

Varicose veins treatment results:
The final results appear 3 to 6 weeks after the procedure, and the treated veins do not reappear and new veins can appear.
The doctor must be followed up periodically to check the results and determine if the patient needs to perform other treatment sessions or not.
 
Candidates for the treatment of varicose veins by injection:
Before starting any type of varicose vein treatment, the patient must perform a number of tests and x-rays so that the doctor can determine if the patient is a good candidate for this type of treatment.
There are people who are not candidates for the treatment of varicose veins by injection, especially women who are pregnant or who have had blood clots in the past, where the cause of the clots should be studied and the health of the area that needs treatment should be determined.

Laser treatment for varicose veins of legs:
The uses of laser have increased recently in many fields. In the treatment of varicose veins, the laser beam is used to focus the dilated vein to close it completely. The multiplicity of the laser wavelength contributed to controlling the degree of penetration into the tissues and affecting them, and helped in not going for taking analgesics after the procedure due to the lack of pain.
A superficial laser is applied directly to the skin and directed to treat small veins. As for the deeper and larger veins, they are dealt with by applying the intravenous laser, which means inserting the laser into the vein through the catheter, from a small opening in the thigh, to deal with the affected vein directly.

The latest CLaCS technology:
It is the latest technology used in several European countries, and it has proven its success over several years, as it combines laser and injection. CLaCS has multiple advantages that make it unique in the treatment of varicose veins, the most important of which is the ability to identify the veins that may cause varicose veins in the future and deal with them in the same session, which completely prevents the recurrence of varicose veins again, by relying on an augmented reality vein viewer that shows the feeder veins that are not seen with the naked eye.