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 If
certain veins, known as perforating veins, in the lower leg fail
to operate properly because of damaged valves, blood return from
the limbs to the heart may be compromised. This can lead to complaints
of fullness, aching, or tiredness in the leg, or there may be
no symptoms at all. This condition is known as chronic venous
insufficiency (CVI). It can manifest itself in discoloration,
swelling, and recurring painful skin ulcers caused by insufficient
blood supply.
The traditional treatment for chronic venous insufficiency is
leg elevation, wound care, and compression therapy: elastic compression,
ace bandage, or stockings. This typically does not correct the
condition, but attempts to manage the symptoms. Even with highly-skilled
care, there is a high rate of recurrence of skin ulcers when treatment
is limited to traditional methods.
Up until now, surgical treatment of this disease has been associated
with a high rate of wound complications, greatly reducing the
viability of surgery as a treatment option. Recent advances in
surgical technique make it possible to surgically treat this disease
minimally invasively, that is, through small incisions that avoid
longer incisions, thereby greatly reducing the risk of wound complications.
This procedure is known as Subfascial Endoscopic Perforator Surgery,
or SEPS. It is aimed at surgically correcting the cause of the
disease, allowing for potentially longer-lasting effects than
conservative treatment. The GSI SPACEMAKER® balloon
dissector is a unique instrument that facilitates this
procedure. We at GSI believe that SEPS is perhaps the only viable
alternative for many of the estimated 1.2 million symptomatic
patients in the United States.
You should discuss the potential risks and benefits of all treatment
options with a doctor so you can be fully informed prior to treatment.
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