Don’t fret, it can be treated sans surgery with latest microwave ablation treatment

By Dr. Shailesh Shivraj Pene, Senior Consultant, Department of Imaging and Interventional Radiology, Narayana Multispeciality Hospital, Mysuru.

Lower limb varicose veins is one of the commonest vascular disorder affecting about 5 percent of the general population. While some may have painless and asymptomatic life with this condition many suffer from severe pain and sometimes these will rupture leading to ulcers on the skin. If left untreated, the condition has the potential to cause pain, swelling, aching sensation, pigmentation and in later stages venous ulcers.

What actually is varicose vein and what causes the condition?

Superficial veins carry impure blood to heart.  Varicose veins are abnormal dilated superficial veins in the leg. Varicosity happens when the valves in these veins become weakened or damaged. There are a number of reasons that can increase the  likelihood of developing varicose veins. The common causes of varicose veins are  hereditary in nature, obesity, pregnancy, older age and standing for long period of times. It is more common in female population.

Symptoms: The common symptoms are leg pain, swelling, pigmentation, heaviness in leg, muscle cramps and venous ulcers in later stage.

Most of the patients develop swelling in legs associated with skin pigmentation and pain in legs while walking which is suggestive of chronic venous insufficiency. 

Treatments: The common belief that varicose vein is not treatable is a myth. Medical fraternity has made significant progress in treating the condition. In fact, there are many treatment modalities that are being used in India. The treatment prescribed depends on the intensity and the nature of the condition that the patient is suffering from. The overall health of the patient is also taken into consideration before suggesting  the treatment. 

The various treatment modalities available for treating varicose veins are radio frequency ablation, endovenous laser therapy, mechanochemical endovenous ablation,  foam sclero therapy and glue embolization.

One of the latest treatment modalities that is used to treat lower limb varicose veins is microwave ablation (MWA). Microwave ablation is the latest non-surgical treatment option available for treating varicose veins. It is safe, effective and a preferred procedure for treating varicose veins with higher occlusion rates (less chances of recurrence) and without serious complications. 

The procedure is done under local anaesthesia. A flexible tube (catheter) is introduced into the dilated veins which heats the walls of the veins and make them to collapse. The tortuous and dilated veins are further treated with foam sclero therapy and glue embolization, thus delivering combined and effective therapy (Microwave ablation + foam sclero therapy + glue embolization) for varicose veins.

The advantage of this procedure is that there are no scar marks on legs, no need for spinal / general anaesthesia. It has good patient compliance, less failure rates and patient can resume his/her day to day activities early. 

We at Narayana Multispeciality Hospital offer this novel non-surgical microwave ablation technique for treating varicose veins. We are one of the centres in this region offering this treatment. Many patients suffering from this disease are treated on day care basis and discharged from the hospital few hours after the procedure.

While there are advanced treatment modalities to treat  the condition, however as the saying goes “prevention is better than cure.” A few practices that can prevent the risk of developing varicose veins are avoid standing for long time, reduce weight, wear compression stockings, elevate the legs while sleeping and consult a doctor when symptomatic.