I was wondering if they could numb my leg because I don't like Anesthesia and want to be awake during the surgery. Or are there alternatives for treating varicose veins so I won't have to have surgery for my varicose veins?
The answer is yes. Currently, local anesthesia is an option that is used for accessing and treating the veins that are affected by vein disease. Minimally invasive procedures for veins--instead of surgery--are used widely. Vein specialists use ultrasound imaging throughout the procedure to visualize the catheter, advancing to the correct position to only target the refluxing superficial vein (damaged vein causing vein issues).
Published on Jul 11, 2012
The gold standard for varicose vein treatment is closure of the refluxing valves followed by removal of the varicose veins by small microphlebectomies. This procedure is NOT done under general anesthesia and you are awake. A combination of sedation, local and tumescent anesthesia is used.
Published on Jul 11, 2012
The first question is: "Do you really need surgery?" I have successfully treated thousands (yes I said thousands) of huge varicose veins without surgery using laser or injections or both. Only about 1 in 150 patients must have some sort of surgical treatment these days.
Yes, at Vein Treatment Specialists we do not use anesthesia on any of our patients. The Dr. uses a local anesthetic to numb around the vein on your leg. It is very simple, and easy to go through. Our patients have a very easy time with this procedure.
Published on Jul 11, 2012
Current vein procedures do not require general anesthesia and can be performed with only local.
Published on Jul 11, 2012
You should be awake during your procedure, but you would probably prefer and do better with some sedation. This means you can tell the doctor if something hurts, but sedated enough so you won't worry excessively. General anesthesia is almost never needed for most modern procedures for the treatment of leg veins( laser, RF,AP, foam or liquid sclerotherapy) . You would be "ill advised" to have a femoral or saphenous nerve block to numb your entire leg for the procedure. We need your feedback to let us know if something is painful because maybe you need more tumescent anesthesia which prevents collateral damage to the surrounding tissue. You will usually receive oral sedation (maybe iv sedation) and plenty of local anesthesia (tumescent) around the large vein prior to endovenous laser or RF ablation. You will also get local anesthesia injected prior to phlebectomies being performed. In the vast majority of cases, no local is necessary for injection of foam or liquid sclerosants.
Published on Jul 11, 2012
Absolutely I always perform these procedures with local anesthesia alone. General anesthesia is not required for these types of procedures.
Published on Jul 11, 2012
One of the major benefits of modern treatment of varicose veins and venous insufficiency and reflux is that the vast majority of the procedures can be performed on an outpatient basis with minimal or no sedation. Treatment with laser ablation (also known as EVLT) or Radiofrequency Ablation is performed using a solution of dilute lidocaine around the veins to be treated and does not require General Anesthesia. The modern treatment of varicose veins emphasizes minimal downtime and discomfort and, in my opinion, is vastly superior to the previous vein stripping procedures.
Conservative measures (things that you can try short of surgery) include compression hose use, exercise (walking is best), leg elevation, use of pain medications as necessary and avoidance of prolonged immobility. These measures may decrease symptoms but do not ultimately do not address the underlying venous issue of abnormal valves.
Published on Jul 11, 2012
Yes, if it is done in an office setting.
Published on Jul 11, 2012
Yes, ablation and microphlebectomy can be performed using just tumescent anesthesia (numbing the leg).
Published on Jul 11, 2012