Varicose & Thread Vein Treatments PATIENT INFORMATION

PATIENT INFORMATION
Varicose & Thread
Vein Treatments
Please use this space to make a note of any questions you wish to ask:
Varicose & Thread Vein Treatments
The Spencer Private Hospital, Ramsgate Road, Margate, Kent, CT9 4BG
Appointments and General Enquiries: 01843 234 247
Introduction
Our Consultant Team
What are Varicose Veins
Why should Varicose Veins be treated?
Where does the blood go if my Varicose Veins are removed?
Diagnosis and Investigation
Conventional Treatments
Support Stockings
Surgery
Endovenous Treatments
EVLA (Endovenous Laser Ablation)
Foam Sclerotherapy
What are Thread Veins?
Microsclerotherapy Treatment for Thread Veins
What Should You Do Next?
Insured Patients
Self Paying Patients
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Introduction
If you suffer from the embarrassment of unsightly varicose or thread veins or any
of their complications - discomfort, discolouration or ulceration, Spencer Private
Hospitals are pleased to offer the latest treatments at a time to suit you. NHS
treatment for varicose veins is now severely restricted, and is simply not available
at all for “cosmetic” conditions such as thread veins. Spencer Private Hospitals
are committed to providing a personalised service for the diagnosis and
treatment of venous problems and provides diagnostic techniques and precision
treatments producing excellent surgical and cosmetic results.
Our Consultant Team
Mr George Tsavellas
Ms FRCS, Consultant Surgeon
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Qualified at Charing Cross & Westminster Medical School, London.
Consultant Laparoscopic Surgeon in East Kent since 2004.
Specialist in minimally invasive procedures including keyhole surgery for
varicose veins.
Mr Giorgio Giancola
MB BCh, FRCR, Consultant Interventional Radiologist
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Consultant Radiologist at East Kent NHS Trust since 1991.
Specialist interest in interventional general and vascular radiology including
Doppler ultrasound, for venous problems.
Expert in pre-surgical venous mapping.
What are Varicose Veins?
Varicose veins are abnormally swollen, twisted, blue
veins that protrude from the surface of the skin. The role
of normal veins is to carry blood back from the leg to the
heart. Some lie just beneath the skin (‘superficial veins’)
and some lie deep in the leg beneath the muscles (‘deep
veins’). Varicose veins arise from the superficial veins.
The leg muscles squeeze the deep veins during walking,
pumping blood out of the leg. All of these veins contain
one-way valves to ensure that the blood flows towards
the heart. Weakness of the vein wall allows valves in
the superficial veins to stretch so that they do not close
properly. Blood then flows back down into the leg along these veins. The veins
and their branches enlarge and can be seen on the surface as varicose veins.
Raised pressure in these veins encourages the development of spider veins
and discoloured areas which look like bruises. The damaged valves cannot be
mended and the best way to cure the problem is to take out the affected veins.
All varicose veins are removed leaving only the normal vessels so that venous
blood can no longer flow the wrong way, back down into the leg.
It is therefore perfectly safe and often beneficial to remove varicose veins. The
removal of varicose veins does not affect blood flow because other veins and
especially the deep veins take over this job.
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Varicose veins are usually obvious due to their visibility,
especially on standing. They are enlarged, often bulging
beneath the skin. Early symptoms include discomfort,
aching, heaviness, fatigue, burning, throbbing and
cramps. They may be associated with areas of thread
veins on the skin. If left untreated, irritation of the skin
around the ankles with swelling of the feet (worse at the
end of the day) and discolouration may occur.
Normal, healthy valve (left)
Re fluxing valve (right)
Finally, eczema, phlebitis (inflammation of the vein) and ulceration may
occur. Large varicose veins can also be easily damaged by a minor injury
resulting in profuse bleeding. Many people, however, only suffer the cosmetic
embarrassment of visible veins.
Varicose veins often run in families and may affect up to 30% of the adult
population in western countries. Men and women develop varicose veins to an
equal extent, but women more frequently seek treatment. The problem may arise
at any time of life, but is more common with increasing age.
Prolonged standing, excess weight, hormonal medications and pregnancy
worsen varicose veins.
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Why Should Varivose Veins Be Treated?
Varicose veins do not get better by themselves; they get worse slowly and
progressively. Early treatment often prevents the symptoms developing and,
of course, removes the unsightly appearance. in fact, the earlier you receive
specialist treatment the better the long term clinical and cosmetic results.
The Spencer Private Hospital offers treatments that have been developed by
world expert vein specialists and have gained approval from the National Institute
for Clinical Excellence (NICE) and most major insurance companies. Treatment
is designed for each patient based on the clinical history, examination and
investigation with a vein scan.
Where Does the Blood Go If My Varicose Veins Are
Removed?
When functioning normally, the entire
system of superficial veins only return
less than 10% of the blood flow from
the legs. However, varicose veins are
not normal veins. They are diseased
vessels that allow venous blood to
move back down the leg — in the
wrong direction. This interferes with
normal circulation and forces normal
veins to work harder. Eliminating
the diseased veins is good for your
circulation and reduces the workload
for normal veins.
When varicose veins are eliminated, patients often notice that their legs feel
better and less tired.
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Diagnosis & Investigation
Laparoscopy or keyhole Careful clinical
examination of the Deg veins is necessary
before treatment starts. An ultrasound scan is
used to assess the veins which cannot be seen
through the skin. This painless investigation
allows accurate diagnosis and mapping of your
leg veins so that a tailored treatment of your
veins can be offered and provided. All patients
seen for a new consultation at The Spencer
Private Hospital therefore undergo a Doppler
ultrasound of the leg veins. Colour duplex
ultrasound imaging provides a moving picture of the blood vessels in the leg. A
blood flow ‘map’ is added which shows the direction of blood flow in veins.
Knowing where the problem has arisen enables the specialist to plan accurate
treatment therefore reducing the risk of recurrence.
Following your consultation and scan the specialist will discuss his
recommendations with you.
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Conventional Treatments
Support Stockings
Compression graduated stockings can be prescribed to slow down the
progression of leg varicose veins. This is done for symptomatic relief, but they
must be worn every day for the rest of your life to be effective. Stockings may
help vein symptoms so long as they are worn, but they will not cure the problem.
Pain medication may help keep you more comfortable.
Conventional Surgery
Surgical treatment of varicose veins is the oldest and most established method
of treatment. Surgery involves a general anaesthetic and may require a night in
hospital. Usually the surgeon will make a small incision in the groin and then a
further incision just below the knee. The main varicose vein will then be stripped
out between these incisions. At the same time, the surgeon may make
several smaller stab incisions around the lower leg and calf to remove the
unsightly smaller vein branches - a procedure known as multiple avulsions or
phlebectomies. Following surgery your leg will be heavily bandaged and you are
likely to require some time away from work to recover. The discomfort and
bruising from the surgery will take several weeks to subside.
*Up to 30% of patients will suffer from recurrent varicose veins in the years
following surgery. Surgery for varicose veins is still performed for some patients
and your surgeon will advise you if this is the best treatment for you.
* As per current NICE Guidelines.
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Endovenous Treatments
EVLA (Endovenous Laser Ablation
Endovenous laser ablation (EVLA) is
often an effective alternative to the
surgical stripping of veins. It is carried
out either on an outpatient basis under
local anaesthetic or daycase basis under
general anaesthesia depending on the
extent of the varicose veins present.
Under ultrasound guidance, a thin fibreoptic probe is inserted through a tiny entry
point, usually near the knee. Laser energy
is delivered in short pulses to seal the
faulty vein so that blood cannot flow through it. The lasering is not usually painful
but there is some discomfort from the local anaesthetic injections. The procedure
takes about 50 minutes per leg. You may require some additional treatment for
management of any residual smaller varicosities in the lower leg — either through
tiny incisions or foam injections. These treatments can be undertaken at the
same time or later, depending on the pattern of veins and type of anaesthetic
used. After treatment, the blood in the faulty veins will be diverted to the many
normal veins in the leg. Walking immediately after the procedure is encouraged.
EVLA has a very good safety record with significant complications being rare. It
is over 95% successful at obliterating the cause of the varicosities and 90% of
patients are happy with the results.
Recurrence of varicosities after EVLA is uncommon; this occurs in less than 10%
of cases. Side-effects from EVLA are minor but do expect bruising, with some
discomfort most apparent at 5 days and a tight feeling as the vein contracts.
Serious complications are rare but could theoretically include DVT (deep vein
thrombosis), skin burns, nerve damage causing patches of skin numbness, leg
swelling and arterial damage.
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You will have to wear compression stockings for two weeks after the treatment
and we advise that you do not fry for at least three weeks but otherwise you can
get on with your life as normal with minimal time off work.
Foam Sclerotherapy
Liquid sclerotherapy (injection
treatment) has been used for decades
to treat varicose veins with variable
results. It is still the treatment of choice
for thread veins but for larger veins the
results of just injecting liquids are not
good.
Foam sclerotherapy is a simple 15
ly into the correct place by ultrasound
guidance. These two simple
modifications have revolutionised
injection therapy and mean that some patients can be effectively treated by
injections alone.
Some doctors even use foam as a substitute for major surgical stripping but
we believe that EVLA is more effective and durable for larger veins and reserve
foam injections for those varicosities that persist after EVLA. Foam sclerotherapy
is virtually painless just involving one or two small needle punctures into the
affected veins.
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Serious complications with foam sclerotherapy are rare but it is possible for
any of the following to happen: allergic reactions, deep vein thrombosis (DVT),
temporary eye sight disturbances, ulceration of skin. The most common
problem with foam sclerotherapy is staining of the skin which can take several
weeks or longer, to go. Of larger veins are treated some patients experience an
uncomfortable swelling but this can usually be relieved by aspirating through
a needle. After treatment you will have to wear compression stockings for two
weeks. You may need more than one sclerotherapy session to achieve the
desired result.
In summary, foam sclerotherapy is a very useful addition to our armoury for use
against varicose veins - and is particularly useful in complex veins through scar
tissue, in recurrent varicose veins or in hard skin around ulcers at the ankles - but
it isn’t as good as EVLA or surgery for large truncal veins.
What Are Thread Veins?
Thread veins can occur on the legs, face, cheeks
or nose. They are commonly known as spider veins
or broken veins, are very common and can be very
unsightly. In addition, in the legs they can cause
aching, tired legs, itching and burning discomfort.
Symptoms are often worse in warm weather. The
veins can vary from fine red marks to larger purple
or deep blue veins. They can cause significant
cosmetic embarrassment and many women will not
wear skirts in the summer months.
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The reason why people develop thread veins on the legs is not fully understood
but important associations are heredity, pregnancy and hormonal factors. They
may also become more obvious after mid-life because the skin has become
thinner and some of the under skin layers are absorbed during later life with the
veins becoming more obviously exposed.
There are many different types of thread vein and they are very often associated
with underlying (visible or hidden) varicose veins and superficial venous reflux. In
order to get the best results from treatment it is very important to have a proper
assessment of the whole vein system in the leg to see if there is any connection
between the superficial thread veins and the deeper veins. The importance of
this is that if there is a connection which is not treated then back flow and high
pressure will work against the treatment, making it less effective. Recent research
has shown that nearly all thread veins have a “feeder” vein nearby that also
needs treatment. These veins are called reticular veins. Combination treatments
for thread veins including treatment of varicose veins may therefore be required.
For best results, a full venous assessment is recommended, and this is beyond
the scope of most cosmetic nurse practitioners or beauty therapists performing
thread vein treatments
Microsclerotherapy Treatment for Thread Veins
After treating any underlying
varicose veins or superficial venous
reflux, an injection technique called
“Microsclerotherapy” is used to
treat the thread veins directly. A
non¬toxic chemical is injected
through a very fine needle directly
into the vein. This irritates the lining
of the vein causing the walls to stick
together and prevent blood flowing
through the vessel.
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The treatment takes about 30 minutes and you will experience only minimal
discomfort. The walls of the thread vein or spider vein that have been damaged
by the injection are slowly removed by the body’s natural defence mechanisms
over a period of months. Once the vein has been injected it can take between
two weeks to six months for it to completely disappear. On rare occasions it
can take up to a year. Compression stockings are worn for 2 weeks to reduce
the amount of bruising and discolouration. Normal activities can be resumed
immediately.
The number of treatments necessary will vary according to the patient and the
extent of the condition. To allow the outcome of previous microsclerotherapy
sessions to become clearly visible, there must be six weeks between treatments.
Patients find that over time a few more thread veins may appear and it is
common to require an annual or bi-annual ‘tidy-up’ visit.
What Should You Do Next?
Once you have decided to seek advice, it is essential to have a formal
consultation with our specialist Mr Tsavellas, who will be in a position to answer
all your questions. A referral letter from your GP is essential if you have insurance
and a good idea even if you do not. It is good practice to make sure your GP
knows of any planned treatment.
For further information or to arrange a consultation, please call Kerry Goulding at
The Spencer Private Hospital on 01843 234 247
or email [email protected]
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Insured Patients
The excellent quality of care provided by The Spencer Private Hospital is
recognised by all the major private health insurance companies such as BUPA,
WPA, AXA-PPP, Standard Life and AVIVA. Depending on your level of cover, the
fees for varicose vein treatments are usually fully reimbursed. You are strongly
advised to check with your insurance company before undergoing any treatment
to check your level of cover and to be issued with an authorisation number.
Please ensure that you have been referred to Mr Tsavellas by your family doctor
and when informing your insurance company please quote Mr Tsavellas’ GMC
number 3433119.
Self-Paying Patients
The Spencer Private Hospital can arrange payment options to enable you to
spread the cost of your treatment and competitive fixed price packages are
available. Please ask for details.
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Margate
The Spencer Private Hospital, Ramsgate Road,
Margate, Kent, CT9 4BG
Appointments and General Enquiries
01843 234 247
Ashford
The Spencer Wing, William Harvey Hospital,
Kennington Road, Ashford, Kent, TN24 0LZ
Appointments and General Enquiries
01233 616 201
www.spencerprivatehospitals.co.uk
East Kent Medical Services Ltd Registered in England & Wales No
03130118 Registered Office The Spencer Private Hospital, Ramsgate
Road, Margate, Kent CT9 4BG