Advances in treatment of venous disease

Abstract

Approximately 25 million Americans have venous disease, and it is 10 times more prevalent than arterial disease. Manifestations of venous disease are not limited to varicose veins and spider veins. Other debilitating symptoms include tired and achy legs, burning and itching skin, swelling of the lower extremities, discoloration of the skin, ulcerations, and, occasionally, amputation. It is estimated that more than 2 million workdays are lost annually to this disease and that more than 1 billion dollars are spent each year in its management. Conservative treatments such as compression therapy and elevation are often hampered by compliance issues. Past surgical options have been generally unacceptable to patients because of poor cosmetic outcomes and associated morbidity. The presenter discussed cause, diagnosis, and treatment options to include occlusion of the greater saphenous vein using modalities such as endovenous radiofrequency energy and laser energy. These procedures can be done in an ambulatory setting with patients returning to normal activity within a few days. Preoperative and postoperative care were discussed as well as the role of the vascular nurse. Case studies were included.