Vascular surgery is a specialty of surgery that deals primarily with diseases of the arteries and veins, and how these diseases are managed with medical therapy, surgical reconstruction, and minimally invasive catheter procedures. Just like any other specialty, not every doctor is trained in this area so finding a doctor who has extensive training and expertise is your best option when dealing with these types of medical issues.
Before any type of vascular surgery or treatment is performed, it is critical that you receive a correct diagnosis of your problem. Scheduling an initial consult with a doctor is an important first step in the process. They will begin by collecting a complete medical history from the patient, and then do a thorough physical exam. This will help identify any risk factors, as well as any signs or symptoms the patient may be experiencing. The next step in the process would be for the patient to undergo a non-invasive ultrasound, to give the doctor a map of the venous system and allow them to identify and locate any valve dysfunction. The results of the ultrasound will determine which type of procedure or treatment the patient may require.
Perhaps one of the most common vascular surgery procedures that are performed is called sclerotherapy and it is used in the treatment of varicose veins. The doctor will inject a medication directly into the vein, which will cause it to shrink. Some patients may not be good candidates for this procedure, and in that case may have to have a small incision made in the skin and have the varicose vein surgically removed.
Another common vascular surgery procedure is called the Venefit procedure. This procedure relieves symptoms and reduces the appearance of varicose veins by radio frequency ablation. This procedure is the technique of choice to treat valve dysfunction that has resulted in reflux of the short and long saphenous veins, as well as the perforator veins.
There are is now a revolutionary technique used worldwide by doctors to eliminate spider veins on the legs and fine thread veins from the face. This technique is called Veinwave, and it utilizes the principle of thermocoagulation. This means a relatively painless procedure for patients, and they can walk in and out the same day. This technique has no risk of bruising, scarring, or pigmentation. This treatment has instant effects, and you can see the veins disappear immediately.
No matter what type of treatment you are considering, it is important to take the time to find a qualified doctor to perform your procedure. Not every doctor has extensive training in this area and you want to find someone with a great deal of experience and expertise. It is always good to narrow your choices down to two or three and then do an initial consult with each of them (these consults are usually free of charge). Once you have had all your consults you can make an informed decision about which doctor is right for you. Just like with any medical procedure, vascular surgery is not something that should be decided on hastily.