Varicose veins have plagued mankind for thousands of years. While today it’s fairly easy to get rid of varicose veins, that wasn’t always the case. In fact, the first varicose vein treatments were quite deadly. But as medicine progressed so did these treatments, becoming much safer and easier to perform.
From crude surgeries to laser interventions, here’s the history of varicose vein treatments courtesy of the best sclerotherapy doctor in Beverly Hills at the Beverly Hills Vein Institute.
Varicose veins were first mentioned in the so-called Ebers papyrus, dating back to 1550 B.C. The Ebers Papyrus is one of the earliest medical documents in the recorded history. This manuscript written by the Egyptians contained the herbal knowledge of the physicians at the time. The ancient Egyptians referred to varicose veins as “serpentine windings” and discouraged surgeries as they often had a fatal outcome.
In ancient Greece, the father of modern medicine Hippocrates also discouraged surgery but introduced an alternative varicose vein treatment method using compression wraps. Physicians use the same principle to this day as a preventive method and a way to keep the varicose vein problem in check. Coincidentally, varicose veins get their name from the Greek term meaning “grapelike”.
Another Greek physician Galen described the first phlebectomy, a procedure some physicians practice today. He described making the incisions with a hooked tool after which he would extract as much of the affected vein as possible.
Roman physicians practiced a similar procedure around the same time as well. However, physicians performed these procedures without anesthesia which made them excruciatingly painful. Some third world physicians perform this surgery even today, albeit with more sophisticated instruments.
On the other hand, an Arab physician named Albucacis was ahead of his time, depicting a less invasive surgical procedure we now know as vein stripping.
Leonardo da Vinci was the first to map the anatomy of varicose veins in the 15th century. He also depicted the anatomy of the leg veins with eerie accuracy. Professor Hieronymus Fabricius at the University of Padua first depicted the vein valve responsible for varicose veins in 1603.
Physicians used intravenous drugs to treat varicose veins for the first time in the 17th century. At the time, they would introduce iron and iodine to the vein. However, due to frequent complications like swelling and inflammation, experts abandoned this practice by the end of the 19th century.
The 20th century brought about new varicose vein treatments that were often crude and extremely invasive due to the introduction of general anesthesia. These procedures often left horrible scars as a memento and had other horrible outcomes.
Fortunately, experts abandoned the gruesome practices of old with the invention of quick, painless and non-invasive varicose vein removal treatments. These treatments include laser probes that close the affected vein, special gels that seal the vein and microscopic incisions. Therefore, burning iron was replaced with Endovenous Laser Therapy and invasive, scarring procedures were replaced by sclerotherapy.
As you can see, the varicose vein treatments of today are nothing like their humble, terrifying beginnings. Therefore, you have no reason to fear a varicose vein removal treatment and no need to postpone removing the unsightly vein right now!
If you are looking for the best sclerotherapy doctor in Beverly Hills, look no further than the Beverly Hills Vein Institute and Dr. Ivan Brooks. Contact us at (310) 853-5850 to book an appointment, ask about the varicose vein treatments we offer. Find out how we can help you with your varicose vein problem once and for all!
