New varicose vein method hailed

An estimated 5m people suffer from the condition in the UK

A new treatment for varicose veins which allows patients to walk within minutes of the operation is being offered on the Isle of Wight.

The technique involves veins being heated with radio waves instead of them having to be removed.

Patients often need an overnight stay in hospital but the new operation is carried out under a local anaesthetic.

Varicose veins can affect pregnant women, the elderly and people who stand a lot in their jobs.

It is estimated about five million people suffer from the condition in the UK with the NHS carrying out about 37,000 operations a year.

Reduces costs

The new technique, known as VNUS Closure, involves a small tube inserted into the vein and heated.

This causes the blood collected there to be redirected into a healthy vein. The process takes about four minutes.

Prof Cliff Shearman, vascular surgeon, said: "I think it is going to make a major impact.

"It is better for patients, it is easy for the health service, because it reduces costs, and I think probably it will be safer for patients ultimately when we get the longterm data."

About 80% of all varicose vein operations on the Isle of Wight are now carried out using this technique.

Michael Branagan-Harris, from VNUS medical technologies, said: "It has enabled many NHS trusts in the country to take a very common operation out of theatres into the treatment room.

"That speeds up theatres for other cases."