Our History

Varicose veins have been known since antiquity.  With respect to treatments, around the year 1895, Trendelemburg came up with the traditional surgical technique known as Saphenectomy.  This technique is still used today, for more than a century!!!... The Saphenectomy is the removal of varicose veins and the saphenous vein, usually up from the groin down to the ankle. It is major surgery with spinal or general anesthesia, hospitalization, and a lengthy down time. Since then it has remained almost unchanged, still remaining a major surgery. Saphenectomy is a valid but old technique.

The trend nowadays is toward a more effective and minimal invasive medicine; namely, less traumatic, less risky and with virtually no need for taking sick leave.

In 1996, we began to study more in detail all about vein circulation, using Ecodoppler color imaging, which showed that in many cases the saphenous vein was normal and, consequently, that it could be preserved.  This study was subsequently adapted to a Venous mappingindicating the points of reflux or circulatory deficiency.  On this topic, Dr. Alejandro Cabrera published a paper entitled: “Ecomapping via color ecodoppler in modern varicose vein surgery” (“Ecomapeo Venoso mediante Ecodoppler color para Cirugía Moderna de Varices”) (Revista Chilena de Ultrasonografía, volume 5, N°2, year 2002. Copyright Nº 171.933).

This ecomapping has been used ever since the year 1996, and this experience has been consigned in a paper entitled: “1000 cases of selective surgery preserving the saphenous vein and a 5-year follow-up”.  The author of this study, Dr. Alejandro Cabrera M., analyzes his surgical experience accumulated between the years 1996 and 2001.  With this paper, Dr. Cabrera was admitted as Member of Chile’s Surgeon’s Society on June 8, 2005.  This surgery, labeled “selective” (in France it is called CHIVA), replaced saphenectomy and marked a notable difference in the surgical handling of varicose veins, with excellent results; albeit still requiring spinal anesthesia and temporary hospitalization.

In April 1997, Dr. Cabrera and his team performed the first “Subfacial video-endoscopic surgery for insufficient perforating veins” (“Cirugía Subfacial Video-endoscópica para Venas Perforantes Insuficientes”).  This technique replaced the Linton Surgery, which required a big leg incision the leg and was used when the varicose vein damaging and ulcerating the skin.  The Subfascial Video Endoscopic Surgery consists in inflating the leg, right under the knee, and introducing a video camera via an endoscopic tube.  In that manner, while monitoring everything through a TV camera they tied the perforating veins.  This experience was presented in the United States, at the 1998 Congress of the “Spanish-speaking surgeon’s society”

In 2002, Dr. Cabrera introduced in Chile the Local tumescent anesthesia for varicose veins and the combination of Endolaser and out-patient Phlebectomy, both of them minimally invasive techniques, fully as out-patient, thus spearheading the state-of-the-art treatment of this treatment.  Never before had a varicose vein surgery patient walked home immediately after his “operation”.  In fact, it could no longer be labeled as an operation, since it was a Minimally Invasive Procedure.     

The first Endolaser was performed in our clinic, in Providencia, Santiago, in April 2003, and the scientific report prepared about this new technology, denominated: “Preliminary report on endolaser treatment for varicose veins” was issued in November of that same year during the Congress of the Chilean Surgeon’s Association.

As of this writing (October 2008) more than 1.800 minimally invasive procedures have been performed.  This experience is the first and largest in Chile.  Just in the year 2007, certain private clinics have begun reporting about these technologies; albeit not as out-patients, but rather requiring spinal anesthesia and hospitalization.  The Endolaser technique is applied in the treatment of altered valve systems of both the internal saphena vein, at the groin level, and the external saphena, behind the knee.  We have recently performed our first Endolaser for insufficient perforating veins, applying a new generation of especially designed fiber optics. This minimally invasive procedure is an alternative to the Endoscopic Subfascial Surgery, mentioned above.

The above background summary regarding recent developments in this area of medicine in Chile –aside from innovations on surgical techniques- represents something noteworthy and transcendent; a veritable new approach regarding the treatment of vein diseases, especially varicose veins.

This “new approach” is the so-called VEINTEC SYSTEM, which Dr. Alejandro Cabrera introduced in Chile via an exclusive US license. Belonging to this specialized international group has enabled the exchange of knowledge and technology, guaranteeing medical treatment of the highest standards in this specialty, combining a personalized and humane approach with state-of-the-art medical treatment.