Preventing varicose veins

Lower extremity varicose veins (GERD) are becoming increasingly common in modern society. The disease is on the rise and affecting younger people, especially those who work in offices, stand for long periods, or have sedentary lifestyles.

SGTM disease affects quality of life, aesthetics, and can lead to many complications if not treated promptly.

Images of a patient's legs with varicose veins at different stages of the disease. Photo: Provided by the hospital.

More and more people are suffering from varicose veins.

According to Dr. Bui Van Linh, Head of the Thoracic Surgery Department at Thong Nhat General Hospital, an average of 15-20 patients visit Thong Nhat General Hospital daily for examination and treatment of venous thromboembolism (VTE). The number of patients is trending upwards and they are becoming younger.

Sickly jaw syndrome (SJ) is like an occupational disease. Sedentary jobs (office workers, healthcare workers, teachers, garment workers, etc.) increase the risk of developing this disease. In addition, people who are obese or have unhealthy lifestyles (alcohol, tobacco use, etc.) also have an increased risk of developing SJ.

"Statistics show that those who work more than 40 hours of overtime per month have a 2.7 times higher risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD); those who stand for more than 1.5 hours per 8-hour shift have a 2.35 times higher risk; and those whose jobs require them to stand for long periods but sit for at least 3.5 hours per 8-hour shift have a 2.74 times higher risk..." - Dr. Bui Van Linh cited.

Dr. Bui Van Linh added: The disease is commonly seen in people over 30, most frequently from 45 years old and above. In younger people, venous thromboembolism is usually due to congenital vascular abnormalities.

Specifically, "vein-related venous disease" (VVD) is a common term used to help people understand it more easily. In reality, VVD encompasses two conditions related to veins in the lower extremities: venous insufficiency and varicose veins. This disease causes calf pain, numbness, restlessness, ankle swelling when standing or sitting for long periods, changes in skin color, and frequent nighttime cramps. Patients often feel the urge to move more to alleviate these feelings of discomfort and restlessness. Physically, numerous blue or purple veins appear on the skin's surface, resembling a spiderweb.

In later stages, the veins enlarge and become tortuous like worms. Even later, the skin color changes in the legs, and wounds heal slowly if injured. The disease is divided into several stages from C0 to C6, corresponding to levels from mild to very severe. Thong Nhat General Hospital once admitted and treated a patient with stage C6 varicose veins who had ulcers on their right leg and required intensive wound care for over six months before healing.

In fact, many patients confuse the symptoms of chronic pancreatitis (CPI) with complications of diabetes. However, according to Dr. Linh, the symptoms of CPI only appear at the end of the day; patients only need to elevate their legs while sleeping or exercise to improve the symptoms. Diabetic patients often experience the above symptoms throughout the day, and exercise does not alleviate them. The slow-healing ulcers in diabetes are due to malnutrition, a lack of neurotransmitters and oxygen in the blood; at the same time, diabetic patients also lose the sensation of heat, cold, and pain.

Due to misdiagnosis or misdiagnosis of symptoms, many patients receive incorrect treatment or treatment, leading to prolonged discomfort. Furthermore, because the disease is not acute and does not immediately threaten life, patients often delay seeking timely medical attention and treatment during the early stages. This increases the risk of the disease progressing to a severe stage, significantly impacting their quality of life.

Simple treatment, long-lasting results.

According to Specialist Doctor Bùi Văn Linh, the diagnosis of spondyloarthritis is usually based on clinical findings combined with paraclinical tests (ultrasound of lower limb blood vessels, CT scan, MRI to rule out musculoskeletal and disc-related diseases...).

For mild cases (C0-C1), doctors will prescribe compression stockings, along with oral medication and exercise advice. If these recommendations are followed, the condition can be cured. However, most patients seek medical attention when the disease is already in stages C2-C3, with severe symptoms, ineffective medication, leg pain, cramps, swelling, and prominent veins.

When the disease has reached a stage where medication and compression stockings are no longer effective and intervention is necessary, there are many methods such as: traditional surgery (stripping, varicose vein excision, removal of dysfunctional valves, transvenous surgery, etc.), radiofrequency ablation (RFA), Muller's technique, or endovenous laser ablation (EVLA)... Patients who have undergone intervention usually do not experience recurrence.

Each treatment method for SGTM (Syndrome of Transurethral Retention) has its own advantages and disadvantages, but they are quite effective, with a success rate of 91-98% and few complications. The bio-gel method, in particular, has even fewer complications and is faster, taking only 15-20 minutes to perform. However, the cost of this service is higher than other methods.

Mr. LHB (residing in Long Binh ward, Dong Nai province) is a healthcare worker. He stated that he suffered from spondyloarthritis (SLE) for over 10 years, often experiencing leg swelling and discomfort. He received treatment using laser ablation at Thong Nhat General Hospital 10 years ago. Afterward, he continued wearing compression stockings and taking medication, which led to his recovery. Similarly, Mr. HPH (residing in Long Hung ward, Dong Nai province) also suffered from SLE and received treatment at Thong Nhat General Hospital using laser ablation combined with Muller surgery. To date, after 10 years, the disease has not recurred.

In particular, over the past year, Thong Nhat General Hospital has implemented the treatment of varicose veins using bio-gel. This is an advanced, minimally invasive treatment method with a short procedure time (only 15-20 minutes). During the procedure, the doctor will use a specialized instrument inserted into the vein and then inject bio-gel to completely block the dilated vein segment (under ultrasound guidance). After treatment, patients recover quickly and are discharged from the hospital after about 1-2 hours.

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Source: https://baodongnai.com.vn/xa-hoi/y-te/202511/phong-ngua-benh-suy-gian-tinh-mach-a900bcb/