Varicose veins are a problem for many sufferers. Almost 40 million people have varicose veins, with more women being affected by the condition than men. Many sufferers choose to have the varicose veins removed, because they can cause painful swelling and aching in the legs that makes it hard to walk and stand. In some cases, the veins can start to bleed and ulcers can appear on the skin. Others choose to have them removed because they just don't like the way they look. The common method to treat varicose veins is to remove them surgically. A newer method to remove the veins that is gaining in popularity is using the Transilluminated Powered Phlebectomy (TiPP) method. TiPP helps surgeons locate and remove all of the varicose veins. Here is how TiPP works on removing varicose veins in your legs.
Preparing Your Leg
Your doctor, or a medical assistant, will first apply an antiseptic lotion to your legs to kill any germs or bacteria that could enter the incisions the doctor makes and cause an infection. The doctor will also mark the spots on your legs with a surgical permanent marker where the varicose veins are present. A local anesthesia is used to numb the area the doctor will be making the incisions.
Removing the Veins
A small incision is made in your leg to create an opening for the doctor to insert a small light under the skin to illuminate the damaged veins, and an another incision is made to create a separate opening for the doctor to insert the dissecting tool. The doctor will apply a tumescent anesthesia along the varicose veins – this not only numbs the leg further, but this type of anesthesia also makes the veins swell and become rigid so they are easier to see and remove.
The light is placed under the varicose veins so the doctor can see the veins even better. The doctor will then insert a powered phlebectomy tool (this is the tool the doctor uses to cut each vein and suck it out from under your skin). The doctor will remove all the varicose veins they can find.
Recovery Time
The doctor will apply compression bandages to your leg to squeeze out any blood that is building up under your skin, and also to remove any traces of the tumescence still in your leg. The bandages are typically covered with an ace bandage to hold everything in place. You will usually have to wear the bandages for a couple of days. You will then wear a compression hose, or stocking, for another 4 weeks to help your leg heal properly. After 4 weeks, you should be completely healed.
To learn more about vascular surgery, contact a company like Cedar Surgical Associates PC.
Share20 May 2015
I knew that my hearing wasn’t as good as it had once been, but I was still upset when my doctor told me that I had a significant hearing loss in both ears, and that I was going to need hearing aids if I wanted to participate more fully in my day to day life. But then I started researching hearing aids. I was thrilled to find out that there were small, barely visible aids that could help me hear without marking me as hearing impaired on first glance. Even better, the hearing aids were much more advanced than I’d thought. The ones that I chose can actually help cancel out environmental noise, like the clatter of a loud restaurant, so that I can focus on conversation with the waitress or the person across the table. My hearing aids have really improved my life.
