It is estimated that around 20% of all adults get varicose veins at some point in their lives, according to the US National Library of Medicine. And although it is prevalent in older people, if you don’t seek varicose veins treatment at an early stage, the condition can cause painful and debilitating effects from swelling in the legs.

If you suffer or know someone who suffers from this condition, then help is at hand in the form of Zulekha Hospital. We caught up with the good doctors there who are now using Endovenus Laser Treatment (ELT) for varicose veins treatment to permanently alleviate the discomfort caused by this common condition that seems to have a growing prevalence in the UAE.

30 Minutes is All You Need

So far, the hospital has successfully treated a number of patients with the minimally invasive and painless ELT which can be completed in only 30 minutes to an hour without any reoccurrence of the condition. And to make it even better, you can walk out of the hospital as soon as the varicose veins treatment is done!

How the Varicose Veins Treatment Works

According to Specialist General Surgeon Dr. Priya Devadas, previously, surgeons used the open Trendelenburg procedure to treat varicose veins where an incision is made on the thigh and the complete vein is removed. It can be painful and required the patient to be in the hospital for one or two days.

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“But now, with this latest ELT, we are able to treat the veins with this minimally invasive painless procedure that can be done as an out-patient surgery. It is great to see the instant relief felt by patients who had been suffering such great discomfort from varicose veins,” explains the doctor.

In the ultrasound-guided ELT, a catheter bearing a laser fiber is inserted under ultrasound guidance into the great saphenous vein (GSV) or small saphenous vein (SSV) through a small puncture and the vein is obliterated. “ELT is also used to treat hemorrhoids, fistula, and the pilonidal sinus disease. Very rare complications may include Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT).”

What Causes Varicose Veins?

In women, states Dr. Devadas, the condition is most commonly noticed during pregnancy. “In a recent case at Zulekha Hospital Sharjah, a 35-year-old woman was successfully treated with ELT after she suffered varicose veins following four pregnancies.”

The condition can also be a combination of two factors – hormone-related changes in the body’s tissue and weight gain which makes it harder for the blood in the leg veins to flow back to the heart properly. In some patients, being overweight also increases pressure in the legs and veins, which can increase the risk of varicose veins, according to the Doctor.

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If left unattended, varicose veins can lead to multiple risks including bursting, internal bleeding due to minor traumas, color changes, ulcer formations, chronic pain, deformity, difficulty in walking, and continuous loss of blood. In other words, seek varicose veins treatment the moment you notice them.