Cardiovascular system Surgery of varicose veins

Surgery of varicose veins: The varicose veins are dilated, tortuous, and elongated veins under the skin, which constitute one of the commonest cardiovascular conditions among all of them. They affect about 15% of the general population.

Most varicose veins result from a genetic or familiar predisposition that causes elasticity loss in the vein walls and incompetence of the venous valves. These are called as primary or essential varicose veins and are more frequent.

The treatment of the varicose veins must be individualized and the judgment must be judicious, as there are no magic formulas applicable to all cases. There is frequently need for associating more than one mode of treatment in a same patient.

One of the treatment forms is surgery. The varicose veins can be surgically treated, with excellent esthetic and functional result. The best candidates for the surgery are the active individuals and not the obese ones. The indications for surgical treatment are hemorrhage, superficial thrombophlebitis, ulceration, and persisting pain, besides esthetic reasons. There is a current trend to preserve the major saphenous vein and to perform more conservative procedures, with microincisions and crochet needles, with no need of stitches in most times, causing the procedure to be simpler and to result in a better esthetic result.

* More information on varicose veins can be found in Cardiovascular System > Diseases > Varicose Veins.