How to Repair Leakage in a Deep Vein
Veins contain one-way flap valves that help blood return to the heart. When valves fail, blood pools in the veins and they may become leaky. Leaky veins bulge and stretch, leading to varicose veins, according to the Gloucestershire Vascular Group. Varicose veins can cause pain and discomfort. The leaky veins may bulge and show through the skin in blue, green, purple or red colors. Ankle skin may change in color or texture and open wounds (ulcers) can appear on the legs, according to South Bay Vascular Center and Vein Institute. Fortunately, leakage in deep veins can be repaired.
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Instructions
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An ultraound exam will map blood flow in deep veins. See a vascular surgeon to establish the cause and treatment of your varicose veins. An experienced surgeon may be able to establish this by a simple examination or with the use of a hand-held ultrasound probe, according to the Gloucestershire Vascular Group. A more advanced ultrasound exam may be needed to gauge blood flow in deep veins. A duplex ultrasound exam takes about 30 minutes per leg. In some cases, surgical exploration may be necessary to locate leaky valves in deep veins.
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Sclerosant causes vein walls to collapse. Try sclerotherapy. Sclerotherapy is usually used with smaller veins. A sclerosant solution is injected into the troublesome vein that causes it to collapse. Big and deep veins require ultrasound-guided sclerotherapy, according to the South Bay Vascular Center and Vein Institute. Two to four treatments may be necessary.
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Radiofrequency energy can close a vein. Ask your surgeon about VNUS Closure. This new technique involves inserting a small catheter through a needle into the vein. Radiofrequency energy is used to seal the vein. This is an outpatient procedure done with local anesthesia, according to the South Bay surgeons.
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Leaky veins can be clipped closed. Treat venous ulcers with Subfacial Endoscopic Perforator Surgery. This treatment is done under general anesthesia at the hospital and is used to disconnect deep veins malfunctioning in the legs. Laparoscopic medical equipment is used to clip the leaky veins closed.
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Vein stripping is done with general anesthesia. Remove leaky veins from the legs through surgical stripping. Saphenous vein stripping is done through incisions at the groin and at the ankle or knee, according to the South Bay surgeons. A tube is placed throughout the length of the vein and it is pulled out.
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Tips & Warnings
Endovenous laser treatment may also be used to seal leaky veins shut. The South Bay surgeons do not recommend this treatment over vein stripping or VNUS Closure and report that it can be more painful than sclerotherapy.
When deep veins are clipped, destroyed or removed, the blood supply chooses healthy vessels to return blood to the heart.
Losing weight, walking, wearing compression stockings and keeping the legs elevated can help reduce surface varicose veins; but when the cause is due to deep vein leakages, surgery may be necessary.
Varicose veins often reoccur if sclerotherapy is done on its own. Gloucestershire Vascular Group recommends a combination of sclerotherapy and stab avulsions. Stab avulsion refers to the process of making tiny incisions along marked veins and pulling them out by sections. Skin ulcers can develop if sclerosant leaks outside the vein and this procedure can cause permanent brown skin stains.
Surgery can damage small sensory nerve branches and create areas of numbness.
Deep vein thrombosis can occur during varicose vein surgery. A blood clot that has formed in leaky veins may migrate to the heart or lungs.
References
- Photo Credit senior doctor 10 image by Paul Moore from Fotolia.com control panel of ultrasound scanner image by starush from Fotolia.com injection image by Zbigniew Nowak from Fotolia.com virtual vein image by Yali Shi from Fotolia.com medical tools image by Alexander Oshvintsev from Fotolia.com op image by Falk from Fotolia.com
