VARICOSE VEINS AND VEIN DISEASES. Nikos Aledzhanov
into several groups depending on the depth of their location: cutaneous veins (the most superficial), superficial (located under the skin), deep, and also connecting the superficial veins and deep veins – perforant.
Cutaneous veins (small, their diameter is up to 3—4mm),while expanding, they form vascular “asterisks” and reticules which is a cosmetic defect. They do not cause health problems.
– Superficial veins (saphenous).
Superficial veins develop varicose veins. It can develop as an independent disease, and this condition is called varicose veins of the lower extremities. Perhaps as a secondary, when there is a pathology in the deep veins of the leg, which for its part causes overload and secondary expansion of the saphenous veins (superficial). In addition to varicose veins, they may have thrombosis, the so-called thrombophlebitis.
– Deep veins.
Deep veins do not develop varicose veins, they may have congenital defects and local expansion of deep veins (aneurysm) which is rather rare occurrence.
– Perforant.
Perforating veins are veins that connect superficial veins to deep veins.
What diseases are attributed to diseases of the veins?
Spider veins, varicose veins, thrombosis, chronic venous insufficiency, trophic ulcers.
Which doctor should you contact due to vein diseases and what is “phlebology”?
The treatment of blood vessels is done by “cardiovascular surgeons”, “general” surgeons, but specifically by venous diseases – phlebologists. Phlebology comes from the Greek phlebos (φλεβός) – “vein” and logos (λόγος) – “doctrine”, “science”) – a branch of medicine that studies the structure, functions of veins, and also develops methods of diagnosis, treatment and prevention of diseases. A phlebologist is a doctor specializing in vein diseases. Ideally, you need to contact him. Generally, phlebologists are proficient in ultrasound methods and all modern minimally invasive technologies, laser or radiofrequency ablation, sclerotherapy, and others.
What are the symptoms of venous diseases and when to consult a phlebologist?
When the following symptoms appear: spider veins and meshes, the appearance of varicose veins, ooedema, sudden one-sided ooedema (urgently), redness of the skin along the veins, heaviness or pain in the legs, the appearance of pigmentation on the skin of the legs, trophic changes, ulcers, during pregnancy for the prevention or treatment (varicose veins, thrombosis) and others.
What are the diagnoses for venous diseases, what is written in the doctor’s conclusion?
Chronic venous disease is diagnosed according to the CEAP classification.
CEAP is a clinical, etiological, anatomopathophysiological classification that takes into account: clinical manifestations (C – clinic), etiology (E – etiology), anatomical localization (A – anatomy) and pathogenesis (P – pathogenesis) of the disease. The reason for attributing a patient to a particular class is the presence of the most pronounced objective symptom of chronic venous diseases.
Examples of diagnoses:
CEAP: C2, S, Ep, As, p, Pr, 2.18 denotes: Symptomatic varicose veins, primary disease. Reflux along the great saphenous vein in the thigh and the perforating vein of the lower leg.
CEAP: C 3, S, Es, Ad, Po, 11,13,14,15 means: Post-thrombotic disease of the lower limb veins with oedema. Deep vein obstruction of the femoral-popliteal segment and tibial veins of the lower leg.
Interesting fact.
In 400 BC, Hippocrates first described varicose veins and how to treat it.
Chapter III
Vein Diseases
“Everything that the doctor does, let him do it right and beautifully”
Hippocrates / Ιπποκράτης
This chapter details common vein diseases and their complications.
Spider veins and meshes
Varicose veins
Thrombosis
Chronic venous insufficiency
Trophik disorders
Spider veins and meshes
Telangiectasia is a persistent expansion of small vessels of the skin (arterioles, venules, capillaries) of a non-inflammatory nature, showing by spider veins or reticules. The word comes from the Greek “expansion of the final part of the vessel”, telos (τέλος) – end, segment, and ectasia – expansion. Spider veins develop in the skin veins and give only a cosmetic defect when they are dilated and not harmful to health and this is not varicosity, but they can also be combined with varicose veins. “Meshes” and “spider veins” in medical terminology are called reticular veins and telangiectasias which is a very common pathology.
What are the reasons?
There are no proven reasons for their occurrence. There are several theories, for example, changes in hormonal levels (during pregnancy) or taking contraceptives, but all of them have not been proven.
Spider veins are varicose veins?
They do not cause a health hazard, complications and varicosity.
How to find out if there are meshes and spider veins or not?
One of the main reasons for seeking medical attention is cosmetic. This phenomenon is common to all ages. Eventually, the number of meshes increases. In older age, they form on the skin of the legs and legs but they do not go into varicosity.
Which doctor you need to contact?
Phlebologists and cosmetologists deal with the treatment of meshes and spider veins. However, it is best to contact a phlebologist, since doctor has experience in treatment and diagnosis, phlebologist can diagnose concomitant pathology if it is present, for example, varicose veins, and start treatment at an early stage, and as the third argument is that if a cosmetologists detects a disease, you go again to the phlebologist.
The treatment
This pathology is treated to remove unwanted cosmetic defects from the skin.
There are several treatments, the most popular of which are microsclerotherapy, laser percutaneous coagulation, radiofrequency coagulation and the ClaCS method. These methods are practically uncomplicated.
Microsclerotherapy is the introduction into a vessel of a special substance (sclerosant), which leads to the “sticking” of small vessels.
Laser percutaneous coagulation is a laser of a certain wavelength on the vessels, which allows them to be hardened without damaging the skin.
Radiofrequency coagulation – electrocoagulation.
However, in practice, microsclerotherapy and laser percutaneous coagulation are mainly used.
ClaCS method is a combined method of phlebologist Kazu Miyaki.
CLaCS is a method for the treatment of spider veins and asterisks. It combines the techniques of sclerotherapy (concentrated 70% glucose) and laser percutaneous removal with cooling during the procedure. The procedure is outpatient and takes about an hour. There are no advantages of some methods over others in the treatment of nets and asterisks.
Complications