Introduction Venoactive drugs (VAD) are a heterogeneous group of medicinal products, of plant or synthetic origin, which have effects on edema (C 3 ) or on symptoms related to chronic venous disease (CVD) (classes C 0s –C 6s according to…
The laser was first conceived in the imagination of H.G. Wells, who described the use of a light gun in 1896 as an outer-space weapon. Albert Einstein then transformed this vision into a theoretical possibility in the early 1900s. Einstein…
Historical Review of Techniques Sclerosing treatment for telangiectasias was ignored until the 1930s, when Biegeleisen injected sclerosing agents intradermally or subcutaneously into the general area of capillary enlargement. However, this procedure caused severe necrosis and lacked effect on the telangiectasias.…
Introduction For nearly a century, open surgical treatment has been considered the gold standard to treat uncomplicated varicose veins. Since the early 1990s, however, techniques have shifted toward minimally invasive approaches. Foremost among these techniques are endovenous thermal ablation using…
Background Surgery for treating varicose veins (VVs) has been advocated for centuries. The first descriptions were attributed to Aulus Cornelius Celsus from the Roman era, which included hook extraction of varicose veins, double ligation and phlebectomy. Modern surgery is based…
The opening, timeless quotation from Henry Faxon, Assistant in Surgery at Harvard Medical School in 1933, resulted from a careful analysis of 314 cases from the peripheral circulatory clinic of the Massachusetts General Hospital. Unfortunately, this quotation is timeless in…
When analyzing side effects and complications of sclerotherapy, one should remember that sclerosing agents are drugs that are injected into veins not to cure them but to obliterate them. In terms of safety of use and results, sclerosing agents are…
General Mechanism for Producing Endothelial Damage Sclerotherapy refers to the introduction of a foreign substance into the lumen of a vessel, aiming to create venous wall damage leading to occlusion of the vessel ( Fig. 7.1 ). This procedure, when…
Historical Development The oldest known illustration of compression bandages dates back to the Neolithic Age (5000–2500 bc ) ( Fig. 6.1 ). The ancient Hebrews, Egyptians, Greeks and Romans used compression therapy for treatment of wounds and ulcers, as described…
Before sclerotherapy is performed, the examiner must obtain a focused history and perform a meticulous physical examination, including inspection and palpation (level 1). This combination places the patient into a proper clinical classification, and this, in turn, will dictate therapy.…