Currently, varicose vein treatment is a relatively simple procedure generally done on an outpatient basis. In the future, it may become easier yet. Researchers at Russia’s Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University have developed a way to eradicate varicose veins via high frequency ultrasound. Today, ultrasound is used for diagnosing varicose veins, but not for eliminating them. While this method is not yet available for patients in Russia, let alone the U.S., it appears promising and may become standard treatment within the next decade.
Typically, patients notice their own enlarged, gnarly veins and visit a vein treatment specialist for help. While the doctor can visually diagnose varicose veins, the issue is often deeper than that – no pun intended. The “duplex” ultrasound test is considered the best way to diagnosis blood flow as well as locating any blood clots in the legs. Duplex refers to two ultrasound methods, the traditional and the Doppler. The traditional creates pictures of the vascular system, while the Doppler creates pictures of the blood flow. Together, these two types of ultrasound give your doctor a complete view of your leg’s vascular condition. Based on the diagnosis, the doctor recommends certain lifestyle changes for mild cases or a medical procedure for vein eradication. Those procedures include:
While these procedures are minimally invasive, none of them are non-invasive, as is the case with the Russian ultrasound method. The only non-invasive varicose vein surgery available involves lasers, but lasers are not used on large veins.
Under this technique, the patient lies down and his or her leg is put into a container with liquid conducive to conducting ultrasound. The doctor chooses which parts of the leg should receive ultrasound. Those sections receive irradiation treatment via the ultrasound. The entire procedure occurs under doctor supervision, and has both diagnostic and treatment components. Right now, the process is not automated, but researchers are working on that. They plan to create a system that increases the procedure’s speed, making it even more efficient. Another plus: the ultrasound does not damage the skin as may happen with conventional varicose vein therapy.
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