The University Doctors
Getting your legs in summer shape
Have you already started planning your summer vacation? Or maybe, you’re thinking about a late winter trip to some warm-weather destination. You can close your eyes and imagine the sound of the surf and the feeling of the warm sun on your skin. And while you’re thinking about your skin, have you thought about those spider and varicose veins that have begun appearing on your legs?
If you’re troubled by the appearance of your legs because of spider or varicose veins, you’re not alone. Some estimates suggest that at least half of all adult women have these blue, lumpy veins on the surface of their legs. And it’s not just vanity that drives women to seek treatment. Spider – and varicose veins in particular – can cause swelling, itching and throbbing and cramping pains.
It may seem like these blue vein clusters appeared almost overnight, but the truth is they have been forming over the years, the end result of elements of your medical and personal history. Heredity plays a role in deciding who gets spider and varicose veins along with such factors as pregnancy, weight gain, the kinds of jobs you’ve worked, medications you’ve taken and the kind of leisure time activity you’ve engaged in. What actually causes these veins to appear? As your heart beats, it pushes blood through your arteries and veins. In between those beats, gravity exerts backward pressure, pulling the blood toward your lower extremities.
To counteract this, the veins in the legs have a special system of valves that keep the blood from flowing backwards. Over time, these valves can become damaged or diseased, causing the veins to enlarge and appear as spider and varicose veins. For years, the only way to get rid of spider and varicose veins was through procedures such as vein bypass and vein stripping, which were about as painful as they sound. Today, trained vascular surgeons can perform minimally invasive and relatively pain-free procedures that can get rid of spider and varicose veins. Even better, these procedures can be done in the surgeon’s office and require little recovery time.
Sclerotherapy is particularly effective against spider veins. During this procedure, the surgeon uses an extremely small needle to inject a substance into the veins that causes the vein walls to thicken and stick together. The blood clots around this area seal the vein and turn it into scar tissue that gradually fades from view. Some individuals will feel a bit of minor discomfort during the initial injections, but that passes quickly. The entire procedure can be completed in less than 30 minutes and, because no anesthetic is used, patients can even drive home after their sessions. Following sclerotherapy, most patients will resume normal activities immediately, but will need to wear compression stockings for a few days.
The Closure® procedure is a relatively new treatment for varicose veins that also eliminates the need for surgical incisions. This outpatient procedure has virtually no side effects and has a recovery period of about two days. During the Closure® procedure, local anesthesia is used to numb the treatment area. Using ultrasound guidance, the surgeon inserts a small catheter into the varicose vein. The catheter tip delivers bursts of radio frequency energy that heat the vein wall causing the vein to collapse and seal shut. The sealed vein is gradually reabsorbed by the body and the remaining healthy veins then take over the task of moving blood through the patient’s legs.
Originally Published in The University Doctors' MedicaLink - 01/08
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