Last summer I noticed prominent blue veins on my right thigh that had been there for years but had seemed to worsen and slightly bulge after a workout/hot bath. An ultrasound uncovered reflux in my right GSV and in my left calf. I had sclerotherapy done 3 months before which significantly improved the bulging and color of the veins. After the reflux was uncovered, the doctor advised that only EVLT can be done. Is this true, even though I saw improvement after sclerotherapy?
Answer: To EVLT or not.... The indications for an EVLT procedure include symptoms such as swelling, aching, pain, and uncomfortable bulging veins in your leg. If you were found to have venous reflux in your saphenous vein, but have no problems with your leg as mentioned above, there is no real reason to have the procedure. If the sclerotherapy worked on the cosmetically concerning veins that you had, I think that at this point you should just keep an I on your legs and if problems do you develop, I would seek additional treatment.
Helpful
Answer: To EVLT or not.... The indications for an EVLT procedure include symptoms such as swelling, aching, pain, and uncomfortable bulging veins in your leg. If you were found to have venous reflux in your saphenous vein, but have no problems with your leg as mentioned above, there is no real reason to have the procedure. If the sclerotherapy worked on the cosmetically concerning veins that you had, I think that at this point you should just keep an I on your legs and if problems do you develop, I would seek additional treatment.
Helpful
Answer: GSV reflux and treatment options Medically treating GSV for venous reflux means that blood will be rerouting to the healthy veins to prevent blood to pool in the legs that otherwise will keep forming varicose veins leading to many other signs and symptoms like leg swelling, leg pain, leg cramps, leg heaviness, burning sensation or itching of the skin, and changes like venous ulcers or sores. Options to treat reflux of the GSV include EVLT, RFA, and Venaseal. Also, there is ultrasound guided sclerotherapy and ambulatory phlebectomy for tributary veins that remain open sometimes really close to the skin after closure treatment of the GSV.
Helpful
Answer: GSV reflux and treatment options Medically treating GSV for venous reflux means that blood will be rerouting to the healthy veins to prevent blood to pool in the legs that otherwise will keep forming varicose veins leading to many other signs and symptoms like leg swelling, leg pain, leg cramps, leg heaviness, burning sensation or itching of the skin, and changes like venous ulcers or sores. Options to treat reflux of the GSV include EVLT, RFA, and Venaseal. Also, there is ultrasound guided sclerotherapy and ambulatory phlebectomy for tributary veins that remain open sometimes really close to the skin after closure treatment of the GSV.
Helpful
March 20, 2018
Answer: Treatment options If you feel that you are satisfied with the results of sclerotherapy, and you have no symptoms, then it is fine to continue with sclerotherapy. At some point though, the underlying reflux may cause newly treated veins to reopen or not close at all with sclerotherapy. At this point you are just wasting money by continuing with the sclerotherapy.
Helpful
March 20, 2018
Answer: Treatment options If you feel that you are satisfied with the results of sclerotherapy, and you have no symptoms, then it is fine to continue with sclerotherapy. At some point though, the underlying reflux may cause newly treated veins to reopen or not close at all with sclerotherapy. At this point you are just wasting money by continuing with the sclerotherapy.
Helpful
March 14, 2018
Answer: Ablation vs sclerotherapy If you are not symptomatic then an ablation (RF or EVLT) is not necessary. I would also ask the extent of the reflux. I would not do an ablation if there is only a short segment of reflux. However, if the GSV is incompetent (showing reflux) along its length then you are unlikely to get lasting results with sclerotherapy alone. A good analogy is that if you have a leaky roof and it is ruining the paint on your walls. Painting the walls will make it look better but it's not going to solve the problem, you have to fix the leak to get lasting results. Similarly with proximal GSV reflux and sclerotherapy. Sclerotherapy will work but if the GSV is refluxing into those varicosities then they are likely to recur. An ablation is treating the source of the problem.
Helpful
March 14, 2018
Answer: Ablation vs sclerotherapy If you are not symptomatic then an ablation (RF or EVLT) is not necessary. I would also ask the extent of the reflux. I would not do an ablation if there is only a short segment of reflux. However, if the GSV is incompetent (showing reflux) along its length then you are unlikely to get lasting results with sclerotherapy alone. A good analogy is that if you have a leaky roof and it is ruining the paint on your walls. Painting the walls will make it look better but it's not going to solve the problem, you have to fix the leak to get lasting results. Similarly with proximal GSV reflux and sclerotherapy. Sclerotherapy will work but if the GSV is refluxing into those varicosities then they are likely to recur. An ablation is treating the source of the problem.
Helpful
March 13, 2018
Answer: Blue veins and EVLT If you have had a response to sclerotherapy then there is no need to rush into doing an EVLT. The presence of reflux suggests that most likely veins will worsen with time but, if sclerotherapy has worked for you, then I would recommend continued sclerotherapy until such time that you develop varicose veins or the veins in your leg worsen.
Helpful 1 person found this helpful
March 13, 2018
Answer: Blue veins and EVLT If you have had a response to sclerotherapy then there is no need to rush into doing an EVLT. The presence of reflux suggests that most likely veins will worsen with time but, if sclerotherapy has worked for you, then I would recommend continued sclerotherapy until such time that you develop varicose veins or the veins in your leg worsen.
Helpful 1 person found this helpful
