The Vein Doctor

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 »

“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 »

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 »

Fit men may get varicose veins. Many people believe myths that women get varicose veins more frequently than men, that pregnancy, being overweight or life-style choices (lack of exercise, diet, or occupation) cause varicose veins.

Iron Man Stewart Palmer

Well meet Stewart Palmer who is a double Iron Man. He developed varicose veins when he was only 20 years old and despite regular running, swimming and cycling, his veins got worse. They ached after exercise and he did not like the appearance of his legs particularly in … Continue reading »

We already have excellent procedures for superficial vein reflux – the cause of varicose veins and thread veins. Procedures such as endo-venous laser (EVLT), Radiofrequency Ablation, and VNUS Closure which can be performed under local anesthetic on a walk in walk out basis. So why choose VenaSeal or medical superglue for veins?

Here are 3 reasons why you might wish to consider VenaSeal by Sapheon for the treatment of your varicose veins.

-1) The VenaSeal medical superglue procedure by Sapheon does not use thermal or heat energy, so tumescent … Continue reading »

There are dramatic changes in the female body during pregnancy and often varicose veins and thread veins appear for the first time. I will discuss the main changes that occur in the venous circulation and I will review the evidence for a causal link between varicose veins and pregnancy.

During the last trimester of pregnancy there is an increase in the maternal circulating blood volume to provide increased oxygen and nutrient carrying capacity for the developing fetus. Most of this increased circulation is accommodated in the veins of the legs. This is also facilitated by increases in progesterone and estrogen which … Continue reading »

There is a lot of nonsense talked about varicose veins and I would like to bust  the commonest 5 myths about varicose veins that I hear nearly every week in my vein clinic.

The first myth is that pregnancy causes varicose veins. This is simply wrong. Varicose veins may appear in pregnancy for the first time but only if there is a pre-disposition to a condition called superficial venous reflux in which the valves are unhealthy. Many men as well as women who have not had children are affected … Continue reading »

Painful Varicose Veins

June Cox has had an amazing result from her varicose veins treatment. June, who lives in Bournemouth in Dorset, initially saw me at my clinic in Poole. From an early age she had developed varicose veins in both legs which deteriorated when she started a family and became pregnant. Over the years they got worse causing her pain, discomfort, swelling and a “fidgety” sensation. Unfortunately, her GP couldn’t help her. Treatment for her varicose veins was not … Continue reading »

Today, I performed the  FIRST VenaSeal™ procedure in Bristol. Sue West, who lives in Bristol,  has been troubled by aching, throbbing varicose veins in both legs for many years. She had been to see her GP, but unfortunately, treatment was not available on the NHS. Her duplex ultrasound scan confirmed that she had severe reflux in the superficial veins in both legs. This reflux was the cause of her ache, throbbing, swelling and unsightly varicose veins. I discussed the various treatment options with her and she decided to go ahead with the VenaSeal™ procedure. I was able to treat … Continue reading »