Which Examinations are needed for Varicose Veins?

Varicose veins can be seen. However, the cause is hidden and lies deeper and deeper in the tissue. One thing is clear: if the cause is not clarified correctly, any therapy will only help temporarily.

In the past, attempts were made to understand venous function by measuring venous pressure and pumping capacity (plethysmography), later also with Doppler probes (ultrasound without imaging). Today, these investigations are only of a supplementary nature. In the past, phlebography was often performed, which is an X-ray examination with a contrast medium. Today, this is only necessary in rare cases, such as varicose veins deep in the abdominal cavity.

Ultrasound examination (sonography) has the highest priority. Generally speaking, you can look into the depth of the tissue, almost everyone knows about this today. All modern systems offer a 'colour mode' (colour Doppler, colour duplex) in which the blood flow is displayed in colour and realistic. A friendly doctor will be happy to explain your venous system to you during the examination. Your doctor at the angioclinic® Vein Center Zurich can do much more with ultrasound: he can tell you where your disease comes from, which veins need treatment and which can be saved, which preventive measures are recommended and how to obtain the best optical result.

The quality of an ultrasound examination can only be as good as the doctor's knowledge: if, for example, the examination is performed while lying down, the doctor can only clarify about 30% of the findings. When standing, the rate of correct findings rises to 60% (this is the classic training) and if the examiner is informed about certain manoeuvres to simulate your everyday stress, he will correct up to 80% of the diagnoses. The missing 20% makes it clear why many treatments do not lead to complete satisfaction even today. A traditional surgeon will always think primarily of surgery and overlook many modern possibilities. The physiology of the veins is extremely complicated, and every minor intervention by the doctor changes the whole system. There is only a small number of ultrasound specialists in the world whose vein diagnostics are consistent in more than 95% of cases and thus lead to an optimal therapy. We have such specialists at our vein center in Zurich.

Diagnostics has clear goals, and every patient should know and understand them:

• Where are there excessively strained venous valves and stretched venous sections?
• Where does blood flow incorrectly?
• Why did this happen? (important for prevention)
• Can the venous circulation be normalized with full vein preservation?
• If there are diseased veins that can no longer be healed, which methods are most gentle, low-risk and reliable?

A doctor who does not know all the modern methods of treatment cannot make the right diagnoses because he does not know how to pay attention to the important details. In our vein center in Zurich we examine your vein problem and determine the optimal therapy for you.

Make your appointment now with Dr. Ragg.