A Houston Vein Doctor Explains What Image-Guided Vein Surgery Is

Dr. Rao, founder of Texas Vein and Wellness Institute, is an interventional radiologist whose 20 years of practice have resulted in him being considered one of the best vein doctors in Houston. But what exactly IS interventional radiology, and how does it differ from traditional surgery? In this article, we examine some of the history behind what many have referred to as "the most significant advance in medical technology in recent decades."

What is "image-guided surgery" and what are its advantages?

The invention of X-rays in 1901 led to one of the most important innovations in medical technology and the creation of Radiology as a medical specialty. No longer did doctors have to perform invasive surgery just to diagnose disorders hidden from their view inside the body. Unfortunately, the radiation from X-rays could be harmful if overused, so wide-scale use of Radiology was limited. With the invention of newer, safer, and more benign types of medical visualization such as ultrasound, Radiology began to be used for more purposes, and led to the medical specialty now referred to as Interventional Radiology, or IR.

IR allows doctors to perform surgeries in a minimally-invasive manner, without the need for large incisions, which greatly increase a patient's risk of infection and negative complications. For example, the procedure used in the "bad old days" to eliminate varicose veins involved having to make incisions along the entire length of the affected vein and then literally scrape it away with a scalpel. The procedure had to be performed in a hospital, and under general anesthesia, which always is a risk. "Vein stripping" also often caused scarring that in some cases was as unattractive as the varicose veins it was supposed to remove, and required long and painful recovery periods.

In contrast, thanks to IR, modern varicose vein treatment options in Houston are minimally invasive, and are so safe and painless that they can be performed in the office of your Houston vein doctor, without the need for even a local anesthetic. Instead of making deep incisions, the modern varicose vein removal expert in Houston locates the diseased veins to be treated using non-invasive ultrasound, and then uses its visualizations to precisely guide tiny catheters into place to close the diseased veins by injecting a sealant into the vein or zapping it with heat. The now-closed veins then collapse and are absorbed into surrounding tissue, leaving the surface skin free from both bulging veins and scarring.

What image-based vein surgery can do for you

If you have varicose veins, you owe it to yourself to make an appointment with Dr. Rao and have him explain the latest minimally-invasive IR treatment options to you. These treatments are so fast, painless, and gentle that you can literally have your varicose veins removed on your lunch hour, and then return to work. Find out more by calling Texas Vein and Wellness Institute today at 281-888-1464.

Author Bio: A Houston vein doctor explains what image-guided vein surgery is, and what it offers to the patient.

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