Filming Clarivein varicose veins operation

This weekend, Prof Mark Whiteley and Judy Holdstock were filming a case of Clarivein treatment for varicose veins.

Prof Mark Whiteley and Judy Holdstock performing Clarivein for varicose veins at The Whiteley Clinic – filming a back-up for the College of Phlebology 1st International Veins Meeting 15-18 March 2017

Clarivein is also called Mechanico Chemical Ablation or MOCA.

Clarivein is one of the new endovenous operations for varicose veins that can be performed as a walk-in walk-out procedure under local anasethetic.

In this aspect it is like endovenous laser (EVLT) or radiofrequency ablation (RFA). Both of these are recommended by NICE (National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence) for the treatment of varicose veins (link).

However whereas both of these techniques use heat to close the vein, Clarivein does not.

This gives Clarivein one major advantage over both of these techniques. Both laser and radiofrequency need several injections of local anaesthetic and an infusion of a large volume of fluid to cool the surrounding tissue. This is called “tumesence”.

However as Clarivein does not use any heat, only one injection of local anaesthetic is needed. This is the one area to numb to get the Clarivein catheter into the vein in the first place. Hence Clarivein is called a “non-thermal non-tumesence” procedure and is as pain-free as can be achieved in varicose veins surgery today.

Matt Jago recording and mixing a case of Clarivein for varicose veins at The Whiteley Clinic – filming a back-up for the College of Phlebology 1st International Veins Meeting 15-18 March 2017

Clarivein – MOCA

Clarivein is a catheter-based device which is passed up inside the varicose vein to be treated. It only takes one local anaesthetic injection to get the device into the vein. Ultrasound is used to ensure it is in the right place.

During treatment, a wire rotates in the vein,  damaging the vein wall. At the same time, sclerotherapy fluid is passed through the device and into the vein.

The combination of mechanical damage and sclerotherapy closes the vein. This is more effective than foam sclerotherapy for big veins and uses fewer injections than laser or radiofrequency.

Prof Mark Whiteley offers Clarivein to patients with varicose veins suitable for this treatment.

Prof Mark Whiteley will be performing a Clarivein procedure live at The College of Phlebology 1st International Veins Meeting in London.

College of Phlebology 1st International Veins Conference London 15-18 March 2017