A: Varicose veins are permanently enlarged veins located beneath the skin that have dilated and become tortuous in response to abnormally high venous pressures seen in venous insufficiency.
A: Effectively treated varicose veins do not come back. The predisposition to form varicose veins cannot be cured, however. Over time, patients may develop new varicose veins in the same or in other areas.
A: Endovenous Laser Ablation with the CTEV laser is approximately 98% effective in treating refluxing veins. There is therefore an approximately 2% chance that a treated vein will “recannulate” or come back, requiring additional treatment. This is easily identified with a postoperative duplex examination and re-treated.
A: Pregnancy does not cause varicose veins in the legs, but each pregnancy makes existing vein problems a great deal worse. If pregnancy did cause leg varicose veins they would be much more common in women than in men.
A: Many women develop vulvar or vaginal varices during pregnancy. These can be very painful during pregnancy. They usually diminish after delivery, but can cause pelvic pain during menses, during or after intercourse (dyspareunia), or with prolonged standing for years afterward.
A: We frequently have patients come to our office who have had stripping done in the past. Despite the rather severe morbidity, vein stripping fails to relieve the patients’ venous reflux 50-65% of the time.
A: Enlarged veins on the back of the hands and feet are quite normal. They are visible only because the overlying skin is thin, and there is very little subcutaneous fat in these areas. They are typically more prominent in slender people. Treatment is generally not indicated in these cases.
A: Because a genetic predisposition is the biggest risk factor for the development of varicose veins, the can appear at any age. Other risk factors such as age, pregnancy, physical trauma, prolonged standing or sitting at work, etc.
A: The good news is that varicose veins are generally not a life-threatening or limb-threatening condition. The bad news is that their symptoms will tend to bother you more and more on a daily basis (leg tiredness, heaviness, aching, throbbing, tingling, burning, itching, numbness, swelling, restless legs syndrome, etc.)
A: Historical vein treatments such as vein stripping were extremely painful, left disfiguring scars, and were only minimally effective. The cure was definitely worse than the disease. Current techniques have fortunately revolutionized the treatment of venous disease.
Whether you suffer from Varicose Veins, Arterial or Venous Disease, TCH&V will ensure your care is perfectly tailored to you so you can get back to life.