The Vein Doctor

Endothermal Ablation. During endothermal ablation, the veins affected by reflux are treated from the inside with heat energy.  I perform this under local anaesthetic under ultrasound guidance. With an ultrasound probe on the skin, the unhealthy vein is located and the skin overlying the vein is numbed with local anaesthetic and then a small needle is inserted into this vein. Through the needle a fine catheter is inserted into the vein and advanced along the vein under the skin and positioned accurately to the site where the superficial vein joins the deep vein, confirmed by ultrasound. The vein is then … Continue reading »

Comprehensive Review of All Aspects of Lower Limb Vein Conditions.

Everyone knows that venous disease is common and important. The Bonn Vein Study is one of the largest and most quoted medical studies looking at how common venous disease is. It looked at over 3000 adults: the participants completed a questionnaire, they were examined carefully and they underwent an ultrasound scan. They were allocated into one of 7 classes. C0 being a completely normal assessment with no signs of vein abnormality all the way to C6 which is an open leg ulcer. There are … Continue reading »

Many people are affected by vein conditions. But just how common are they?

The Bonn Vein Study is one of the largest and most quoted medical studies looking at how common venous disease is. It looked at over 3000 adults: the participants completed a questionnaire, they were examined carefully and they underwent an ultrasound scan. They were allocated into one of 7 classes. C0 being a completely normal assessment with no signs of vein abnormality all the way to C6 which is an open leg ulcer. There are 3 striking findings from this study. … Continue reading »

National Guidance on the Treatment of Varicose Veins

In 2013, The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence – NICE- published clinical guideline CG168 and stated that patients with varicose veins should be referred to a vascular service – a team of healthcare professionals who have the skills to undertake a full clinical and duplex ultrasound assessment and who can provide the full range of treatment options.

NICE recommends:

• Endothermal ablation should be the first option
• Ultrasound Guided Foam Sclerotherapy the second option
• Surgery is now the last resort.

During endothermal ablation, the veins affected by … Continue reading »

Although surface varicose veins are pretty obvious, the cause of varicose veins is deeper under the skin. It is a problem called superficial venous reflux.

That is a defect in the one-way valves that keep blood flowing in the correct direction. Venous valves are delicate folds in the lining of the vein that open and close keeping blood flowing in the correct direction. In the legs, healthy vein valves direct blood from the foot upwards back towards the heart. When the one-way valves in the veins do not work properly, gravity can pull the blood downwards … Continue reading »

Earlier this month I saw a patient who was referred to me by his General Practitioner with phlebitis. His GP had been treating him with antibiotics and if anything, his leg was getting worse.

Now treating phlebitis with antibiotics is simply wrong and I am going to tell you the truth about phlebitis.

What happens in Phlebitis

Phlebitis is simply a medical term indicating that there is inflammation in the vein. Most commonly it affects the superficial leg veins and it is associated with … Continue reading »

“I am coming from a long way away. Can I be seen and treated in one visit?”

Earlier this week we had an enquiry from a patient who lives a very long distance away and she enquired whether  I would see her and treat her in one visit with. Now from a strict medical point of view there is no particular reason why you couldn’t see and treat somebody in one visit. The treatments are local anaesthetic they are extremely safe — serious complications are very rare — and many specialists see no problem with seeing and treating in one visit. … Continue reading »

Well the sun is out and it looks like summer is here at last. And a question I get asked a lot is now I’ve had my veins treated when can I get them out and get the sun on them?

Well let’s face it is one of the commonest reasons people have their veins treated in the 1st place. To make their legs look better and to show their legs off. Well there are 3 things you might want to consider.

The 1st is that after any vein treatment your legs will be a little sensitive to the sun. There … Continue reading »

One of the commonest questions I get asked by people who are having varicose vein treatment is “When can I start my exercise program?”

Walking really is the best exercise to perform after any form of varicose vein treatment or varicose vein surgery. It works the foot pump the calf pump and the thigh pump and it promotes the flow of blood in the veins from the leg back to the heart. And it also promotes the healing process. You really can’t do too much walking. Do as much as you can as early as you want.

With regard to running it … Continue reading »

Varicose Veins can appear for the first time in pregnancy and may become so painful that pregnant mothers seek varicose vein treatment. So can varicose veins be treated safely during pregnancy?

In general, varicose veins should not be treated during pregnancy and there are 4 main reasons.

-1) Increased risk of DVT and PE. Pregnancy is a period in which there is an increased risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism. Compared women who are not pregnant, the risk of venous … Continue reading »