What is chronic venous insufficiency?

Chronic venous insufficiency is a very common condition nowadays with various manifestations. There is a classification that we physicians use very frequently, the C.E.A.P. classification. It ranges from very mild to very severe manifestations.

What are the symptoms associated with varicose veins?

The first signs of varicose vein disease are edema, which occurs mostly in the second half of the day: swollen legs, heavy feet. These may be the expression of an early stage of venous insufficiency.

Over time, varicose veins, which are dilated superficial veins, can develop, primarily from an aesthetic point of view. When very large, dilations can pose a health risk. They range from minor risks such as blood clotting in the superficial vessels to deep thrombophlebitis, which is a blood clot that forms in deeper veins and can migrate to the lungs, causing pulmonary thromboembolism, which can even be fatal. It is a very severe condition.

Not everyone who has chronic venous insufficiency will have this disease, but it should be something that makes us, as patients, think that both varicose veins and chronic venous insufficiency are a disease that needs to be treated, that needs to be addressed not only from an aesthetic point of view, but also from a health point of view.

What treatment is recommended for early venous insufficiency?

In the early stages, treatment of varicose disease is medication and also refers to behavior modification, lifestyle changes or the use of compression stockings, which are a mainstay in the treatment of venous insufficiency.

What treatment methods are indicated for varicose veins?

When larger varicose dilatations occur, invasive treatments can also be applied. We are talking about varicose veins that can be treated by several methods:

• The classic method: It is the most reliable and safest method, which basically removes varicose veins. These veins cannot recur. Of course, recurrence is possible with varicose dilatation of other veins in the leg, but the disease-free interval is much longer than with other methods.
• Other methods: Laser or radiofrequency therapy or sclerotherapy. These are much more suitable for small varicose veins, with the advantage of faster recovery and an immediate aesthetic result. The disadvantage is the much higher risk of recurrence, especially when the indication is not correctly placed on the type of varicose vein being treated.

What results can we expect after surgery?

There are skin changes related to varicose veins that may be reversible. If the patient waits until the skin turns brown, or becomes hardened, sclerotic, there is no hope of a very good aesthetic result. As long as the skin is intact, normally colored, by removing the varicose vein we can hope to recover a normal looking skin after the operation.

When we have skin that is brown and very indurated, very sclerotic, apart from the fact that we remove the risk of thrombosis, of thrombophlebitis that can occur due to varicose veins, the aesthetic result will obviously not be the same as on an uninjured leg.