New Venous Ulcer Treatment – Terminal Interruption of the Reflux Source (TIRS)
Understanding Venous Ulcers
Venous ulcers are sores that are often very painful and that usually occur on legs. Although the exact cause of venous ulcers is not yet known, it is believed that these wounds occur when venous valves that regulate blood flow do not function correctly. The malfunctioning valves allow for a build up of pressure that overtime can break down tissue resulting in a painful wound that needs to be treated as soon as possible. Venous ulcers are known to be chronic wounds, reoccurring over time and needing to be treated repeatedly.
Traditional Venous Ulcer Treatment
Treatment of venous ulcers focuses on relieving the pressure that has built up in the vein. The most commonly practiced venous ulcer treatment is compression therapy. Compression therapy involves the use of elastic bandages to apply external pressure to the legs, counteracting malfunctioning venous valves. Compression stockings can also be provided to patients, allowing for continued treatment that can increase healing rates provided the patient is compliant with physician guidelines. However, despite these measures, the cause of the ulceration is not being treated, and over time the ulceration can reoccur.
TIRS – A Better Treatment?
The Terminal Interruption of the Reflux Source (TIRS) technique goes beyond traditional venous ulcer treatments, and attempts to target the cause of the ulceration. The TIRS technique treats veins that are in close proximity of the venous ulcer, operating under the theory that the ulceration is being locally manifested by neighboring veins. Using foam sclerotherapy, a non-invasive process by which a vein is injected with a foam solution that causes the target vein to shrink and dissolve over time, the vein(s) causing the ulceration are eliminated. Patients treated using the TIRS technique have experienced increased healing rates, and longer periods between recurrences.
Conclusions
Venous ulcers are painful, chronic wounds caused by malfunctioning venous valves. Treatments such as compression therapy can alleviate the pain, but do not remedy the cause of the ulceration. The TIRS technique is a safe, non-invasive treatment that targets the veins that are believed to contribute to the ulceration, resulting in the elimination of pain, faster healing, and greater time intervals between reappearance of ulcers.
This article tells about new technology. For more information about Terminnal Interruption of the Reflux Source, please email Peggy Bush, at pbush@veinexperts.org or admin@veinexperts.org.
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