Why choose The British Vein Institute

Minimally invasive treatment

Expert management

As the country's leading experts on venous disease, our core values underpin everything we do.

Regulated by the Care Quality Commission, patient-centred care, good governance and safety are our top priority. To produce the best possible outcomes for our patients, we use state of the art equipment, specialist knowledge, minimal invasive techniques and the most modern methods of diagnosis and management of vein disorders. All our staff members go through an intensive clinician recruitment, training and mentoring programme. Our specialists are accredited with The General Medical Council and are recognised by private medical insurance companies. For those not insured we offer affordable packages for all our procedures.

The Consultation

Accredited by the General Medical Council - British Vein Institute

Our specialist will take you through the treatment & cost plan & confirm all the findings & proposals in writing.

The first thing is to seek the advice of a specialist in vein treatments. Prior to examining your leg clinically and undertaking colour duplex ultrasound examination, our vein specialists will sit down with you to discuss your vein problems - whether cosmetic, symptomatic or both. We will go through your past medical history and any vein treatment you may have had. The consultant will then undertake a colour duplex ultrasound scan, before taking you through the consultation results. Our specialists will advise you on the treatment options most suitable for you, clearly explaining all the benefits and the risks.

Treatments

Treatments for large varicose veins

Surgery

The British Vein Institute has largely replaced the older surgical techniques with more modern minimally invasive treatments.

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This is in line with the views of experts in this field and advice from NICE that surgery is no longer a first line treatment for varicose veins.
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Ablation

Vein ablation treatments are done in a treatment room and are usually performed under local anaesthesia.

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A fine catheter is inserted into the main surface vein through a needle. The vein is then heated to destroy it.

Varicose veins are managed by foam sclerotherapy during the same session. After the treatment is complete there is still a little bruising but far less than after surgery. The treated leg is much more comfortable and normal activities can be resumed within a day or two. Medical insurance companies usually cover this type of treatment if it is done for varicose veins causing symptoms. Vein ablation is most appropriate for both large, extensive varicose veins as well as more modest varices.

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Foam sclerotherapy

Ultrasound guided foam sclerotherapy can be done in the clinic and requires no anaesthesia since it causes only minor discomfort.

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Injections of foam are made under the guidance of an ultrasound machine which shows the location of the main varicose veins. At the end of the treatment, a firm bandage is applied to the leg. No time off work is required and most activities can be resumed immediately. The treatment takes 20 – 30 minutes. After the completion of treatment, some lumps and bruising remain and these can take several months to disappear.

Medical insurance companies usually cover this type of treatment if it is done for varicose veins causing symptoms. Foam sclerotherapy is most appropriate for all types of varicose veins but is best for small or modest varicose veins. It is especially useful in people who have previously had varicose vein surgery or who have medical reasons for avoiding any treatment under general anaesthetic.

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Which treatment is best

The right treatment for you

We offer our patients any treatment they prefer, however, most opt for the less invasive treatments

Ultrasound guided foam sclerotherapy can be completed in one session of 30 minutes for each leg, using a little local anaesthetic with little discomfort. This is the most popular treatment. It requires the least time away from your busy daily life. It is undertaken in the consulting room or clinic. RF ablation and laser ablation are also popular, but these procedures take a little longer to complete. These are a little more technically complex and need a higher dosage of local anaesthetic. They are usually done in a treatment room.

Minimally invasive treatments often leave some bruises and lumps in the leg, where they are slowly absorbed completely. The initial improvement is usually impressive. The final outcome takes a few weeks or some months to achieve. We usually check the results six months after treatment to ensure that the treatment will lead to a good long-term result.

Contact us

0800 7836106 enquiries@britishveininstitute.com