The treatments available for varicose veins and venous insufficiency are numerous and must be chosen on a case-by-case basis.
In practice, the treatment of varicose veins and venous insufficiency is becoming less and less invasive. HIFU echotherapy and ultrasound-guided sclerotherapy now make it possible to treat the saphenous veins and visible varicose veins without going to the operating room, sometimes in a single session.
The available techniques are:
- Surgical stripping (of the saphenous veins): practically abandoned, except in specific cases.
- Endothermal ablation by laser or radiofrequency (treats the saphenous veins): the most widely used techniques, performed in the operating room.
- Thermal occlusion by transcutaneous HIFU echotherapy (no operating room, no general anaesthesia, outpatient procedure): a highly effective method that is revolutionising the management of venous insufficiency.
- Microphlebectomies performed in the operating room by the vascular surgeon: excellent cosmetic results.
- Ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy: excellent results when combined with HIFU echotherapy.
The vascular surgeon, who masters the full range of available techniques, chooses the best treatment for each individual case. In some cases, for instance, cosmetic microphlebectomies performed in the operating room will give an excellent aesthetic result. With Dr Guilhem Seban, the Vascular Surgery Practice and the Alpes Veines Institut favour minimally invasive methods such as HIFU echotherapy.