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One local physician is now offering an alternative to traditional surgery for patients with painful, unsightly varicose veins. Ifran  Sadiq, MD, is now performing endovenous laser therapy for treatment of varicose veins at Provena United Samaritans Medical Center.
What are varicose veins? What causes them?
Varicose veins occur when veins are not properly returning blood from the lower leg to the heart. Blood instead begins to backflow through the leg in the wrong direction. These veins tend to be bulging, or "rope-like," and one-quarter inch or larger in diameter. Varicose veins affect about one out of two people age 50 and older, and 15-25% of all adults. A variety of factors can contribute to a vein becoming stretched, and ultimately, varicose including pregnancy, heredity, and age.
What are some of the risks of not treating varicose veins?
When varicose veins become severe, it is referred to as "chronic venous insufficiency." Some of the symptoms associated with this condition include aching pain, easy leg fatigue, and leg heaviness, all of which worsen as the day progresses. Left untreated, the condition can cause ulcerations or dangerous blood clots.
"Traditionally, physicians would treat painful, swollen varicose veins with a surgical procedure called 'vein stripping'," states Dr. Irfan Sadiq, Internal Medicine, Danville Polyclinic. "In that procedure the vein was completely removed from the leg. With this new procedure, we can deliver laser energy through a small puncture in the leg to close the diseased vein."
Patients can be awake during the procedure with local anesthetic, and can be done within an hour. Procedures are performed at Provena United Samaritans Medical Center and patients can resume normal activities with minimal restrictions.
Dr. Irfan Sadiq is a member of the internal medicine department of the Danville Polyclinic, and is in practice locally with his brothers Naveed and Adnan Sadiq, MDs.
Think you might be a candidate for this new treatment? Call Dr. Sadiq's office at 217.443.9090 for a consultation.
What can I expect during the procedure?
What can I expect after the procedure?
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