What is the cause of your varicose veins?

Patients wonder why varicose veins can come back after treatment. There was an article in the Telegraph about this today. A patient explained that she had numerous vein treatments at other clinics previously. However, the varicose veins would always recur.

It wasn’t until she came to The Whiteley Clinic that the underlying cause for her varicose veins was identified.

In her case, it was pelvic varicose veins (pelvic congestion) that was causing the leg varicose veins.

Most patients with varicose veins or other vein problems, are seen by doctors who are not vein specialists. Most vascular surgeons spend most of their time performing aneurysm repair, arterial bypass surgery or carotid endarterectomy – NOT dealing with veins or venous problems. Hence “vascular surgeon” really means “arterial surgeon”.

Since Mark Whiteley performed the first endovenous surgery for varicose veins in the UK in March 1999. a lot of doctors, clinics or hospitals have “jumped on the bandwagon”. They offer one or two techniques such as foam sclerotherapy or radiofrequency ablation or endovenous laser – but have not developed the deep research based understanding of which is optimal and when. Not everybody who performs specific venous techniques gets the same excellent results that are expected by patients at The Whiteley Clinic.

At The Whiteley Clinic, we have proven to have the lowest possible recurrence rate in the world, and this is simply due to the research proven Protocol that we follow for every venous condition and for every patient.

What is The Whiteley Protocol

The Whiteley Protocol® is an ever-evolving method of providing the optimal investigations and treatments for abnormal veins of the legs and / or pelvis.

The Whiteley Protocol® was developed by Prof Mark Whiteley (Consultant Venous Surgeon and Consultant Phlebologist) and Judy Holdstock (Senior Vascular Scientist) of The Whiteley Clinic. The first Whiteley Protocol® was produced in 1999. However, since then, we are continually updating it on the basis of our research and audit results, research from other experts around the world and taking into account new technologies and inventions that are continually appearing.

Buy Cheap, Buy Twice

There’s a popular saying that we have witnessed throughout our years of practice and it is “Buy Cheap, Buy Twice.”

“What I discovered from Prof Mark Whiteley at the Whiteley Clinic is that there’s a bigger picture to mine and many women’s varicose veins that almost always goes undiagnosed and left untreated. The crux of it is that my faulty veins, which look so problematic up my legs, don’t suddenly become perfectly functioning at the top of my thigh where they disappear into my body. It seems so obvious once it’s been pointed out, but not one previous doctor has ever discussed that the problem with my ‘incompetent’ veins might start higher up in my body, where they can’t be seen.”

As featured in the Telegraph, our patient was never aware that she had Pelvic Congestion Syndrome which was the root cause of her varicose veins. If her previous consultants had been properly trained and followed The Whiteley Protocol, she would have been diagnosed after her first full Duplex Ultrasound Scan. She would have had optimal treatment planned at that first presentation. That would have fixed the underlying cause of her varicose veins – and she would not have had the constant problems that she has suffered with since.

It is because of many cases such as this that Professor Mark Whiteley has developed numerous training courses through The College of Phlebology for consultants to attend.

Read the full Telegraph article here.