Its official and experts agree: endothermal ablation is the best treatment for varicose veins, varicose eczema and leg ulceration.
In the video below, Catharine McGuinness, a vascular specialist at the VeinCare Centre demonstrates the treatment. Over 50% of us will be affected by a vein condition such as varicose veins, varicose eczema or leg ulceration. In most cases, they are caused by a fault in the one-way valves of the superficial veins that lie just under the skin which causes down flow of blood in the wrong direction, a condition called superficial venous reflux. The most commonly affected vein is the Great Saphenous Vein and the reflux flows down from the groin, down the inside of the thigh and into the calf. This superficial venous reflux can cause visible varicose veins, varicose eczema and if severe, it can cause leg ulceration.
In line with expert guidance from the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (CG168), reflux in superficial veins is best treated by endothermal ablation either laser or radiofrequency. Under ultrasound guidance, fine catheters are inserted into the abnormal veins through needle pricks and closed with heat energy under local anaesthetic. When reflux is abolished the varicose veins improve or disappear, the varicose eczema gets better and leg ulceration can heal. In cases where the associated varicose veins are very large, unsightly or painful, they are removed at the same time as the endothermal treatment. The skin over the lumpy veins is numbed with local anaesthetic and through a tiny prick in the skin the vein is gently extracted using micro-instruments – this is called Phlebectomy.
At the Melbury Clinic VeinCare centre, all our treatments are performed under local anaesthetic, through needle pricks and under ultrasound guidance on a walk-in walk-out basis. These treatments avoid admission to hospital and general anaesthetic and they are much safer and have a much quicker recovery than the old traditional stripping operations.
If you would like more information about our treatments for varicose veins, varicose eczema, phlebitis or leg ulcers, contact us to request our information pack.