A The Whiteley Clinic study from back in 2014 revealed that 1 in 7 women may be having the wrong varicose vein treatment and this increases to 1 in 5 women for those who have had children.

Our research, that was published in the Journal of Vascular Surgery has shown that the failure of doctors to check for pelvic varicose veins before treating leg varicose veins, is a major cause of why women get their varicose veins back again, after they have been treated.

The Study

The Whiteley Clinic study, involved the assessment and treatment of female patients who had recurring varicose veins after having had treatment elsewhere. The research showed that the most common cause for varicose veins recurring was the veins re-growing again after the old stripping procedure.

The Whiteley Clinic research shows that varicose vein recurrence is preventable

The next most common cause of recurrent varicose veins identified was the failure to treat the smaller veins that transmit blood through the muscle (known as perforating veins). These veins are not usually looked for or treated in most UK vein clinics, despite suitable techniques being available.

When women with recurrent varicose veins were assessed, it was found that varicose veins arising from pelvic varicose veins was the third most common cause of varicose veins coming back after treatment – and fourth most common if women who had not had children were included.

The study proved that the reason varicose veins recur after surgery is usually due to a preventable cause and The Whiteley Clinic team have been working for over a decade to identify such causes and address them.

The result of all of this research is The Whiteley Protocol® which directs our doctors as to which patients need investigation for pelvic varicose veins, which investigations should be used and how best they should be treated when found.

This research has shown that 1 in 7 women with varicose veins (1 in 5 if they have had children) have got varicose veins arising from the pelvis which are feeding blood into the leg varicose veins.

A straightforward scan performed by a specialist vascular technologist will make an accurate diagnosis, enabling an optimum treatment plan to be put together.

With the increasing number of clinics and hospitals offering cut-price treatments for varicose veins, The Whiteley Clinic anticipate an increase in the number of women who will find that their varicose veins recur again shortly after treatment.

For more information on the treatment of pelvic varicose veins, please see the Pelvic Congestion Syndrome section of our website. Alternatively, contact us using the contact form, email at info@thewhiteleyclinic.co.uk or call us on 01483 477180.