Dr Marek Sepiolo trained in HIFU for varicose veins

Dr Marek Sepiolo – Completed Sonovein HIFU Echotherapy treatment of Varicose Veins today – 3 February 2020

Dr Marek Sepiolo becomes the latest vein specialist to learn how to treat varicose veins with the new non-invasive HIFU (High Internsity Focused Ultrasound).

HIFU (High Intensity Focused Ultrasound) is the revolutionary new way to treat varicose veins. Using Echotherapy, ultrasound is been through the skin, destroying varicose veins.

This is a non-invasive technique.

In the 1990s, endovenous surgery revolutionised varicose vein treatments. Using radiofrequency and then laser, catheters were passed up inside veins to destroy them using heat.

For many years, this has been the gold standard way of treating veins.

HIFU, is the next revolutionary step. Nothing is passed into the vein itself. The HIFU Echotherapy ultrasound head is placed over the vein, outside of the skin. A special ultrasound jelly is placed on the skin.

A small amount of local anaesthetic is injected around the vein. This is the only part of the procedure that is at all invasive. The needle is two sizes smaller than the needle used to take blood! Most people do not even feel it.

The high intensity focused ultrasound is then focused on the varicose vein to be treated. When the machine is fired, the ultrasound vibrates the vein permanently destroying it.

HIFU for varicose veins

A company called Theraclion has developed a HIFU machine to treat varicose veins called Sonovein. Prof Albert Obermeyer performed the first 50 cases in Vienna in 2018, which enabled the machine to get a CE mark.

Sonovein screen showing how a surgeon can use the Sonovein HIFU screen to treat varicose veins non-invasively

Once proven to be safe, the first commercial HIFU treatments for varicose veins in the world were performed at The Whiteley Clinic in London by Prof Mark Whiteley.

Now Prof Whiteley runs courses through The College of Phlebology, teaching interested doctors from all around the world how to perform this revolutionary new technique.

Today, Dr Marek Sepiolo attended The Whiteley Clinic in London to learn the technique. He spent a day with Prof Whiteley and his team treating three patients with the technique.

Dr Sepiolo is now in a position to introduce this revolutionary new technique into his own practice.