General Information About Varicose Veins
Disease Details and Frequently Asked Questions
It is the accumulation of blood in the leg and the widening and deformation of the vein like a balloon as a result of the valves inside the veins wearing out and failing to pump blood upwards.
The biggest risk is Genetics (Family history). However, in people who stand all day long (stationary) such as teachers, hairdressers, and surgeons, the disease emerges quickly because blood pools in the legs much more. Additionally, hormones during Pregnancy and the pressure the baby puts on the main vessels are other major causes of the eruption of varicose veins. Obesity and inactivity accelerate the process.
Thick/tortuous veins visible from the outside on the leg are the clearest finding. As complaints; a feeling of heaviness like lead and fatigue in the legs, which increases especially towards the evening, calf cramps that wake you up at night, swelling (edema) in the ankles, itching, and the skin turning brown around the ankle.
Varicose veins do not go away on their own. The pooled dirty (oxygen-depleted) blood becomes unable to nourish the leg skin. The skin on the inside of the ankle thins out, and even with a very minor blow, bleeding Varicose Sores (Venous Ulcers) open up that do not close for months/years. Furthermore, blood clotting inside the enlarged varicose vein packet (Thrombophlebitis) causes serious pain.
Just looking at the vein from the outside is not enough. A Venous Color Doppler Ultrasound is taken while the patient is standing. The diameters of the veins are measured, and by telling the patient to strain (Valsalva), it is determined second by second how much blood flows backwards (If the leak is longer than 0.5 seconds, there is surgical insufficiency).
In the past, painful open surgeries were performed where the vein was pulled and torn from the groin to the ankle; these methods are HISTORY.
1. Endovenous Laser / Radiofrequency: The Cardiovascular Surgery specialist enters the problematic main vein with a very thin needle (catheter) from below the knee. By applying laser (heat) energy, the vein is completely burned from the inside, shrunk, and closed. Blood diverts to healthy veins.
2. Adhesive (Venablock): With the same method, a medical adhesive (glue) is injected into the vein, freezing the vein in seconds.
3. Foam (Sclerotherapy): A drying drug/foam is injected into the small and medium-sized veins visible from the outside to ensure those veins are erased. The patient walks home 1 hour after all these procedures.
Our health library contents are prepared for informational purposes only and with scientific data available at the time of recording. For all your questions, concerns, diagnosis, or treatment regarding your health, please consult your doctor or a healthcare institution.
