28 Oct 2024
If you have been thinking about the history and historical treatments of tortuous veins, then you must know one thing: it goes a long way. Sadly, the treatments for venous diseases were not as reliable in the past as they are now. It took a lot of trial and error to ensure that we now get the best possible outcomes.
After a few experiments, we have made many medical advancements that are helpful in treating vein thrombosis. How about we take a quick glance at how things used to be? Read on to learn more about this matter.
In the middle of the 19th century, the major pathologic mechanisms of venous thrombosis were discovered. They were summarized in the well-known Virchow’s triad (1856) and theorized by Andral (1831). However, it was only in the 1920s that an agreement appeared regarding the three factors contributing to thrombosis: hypercoagulability, stasis, and vessel wall alteration. In this period, a bunch of therapeutic breakthroughs were discovered by accident and later revolutionized by DVT treatments. Let us see how things turned how they are right now:
The first anticoagulant was hirudin, which was obtained by Haycraft in 1884. He extracted it from the saliva of leeches. However, this failed to be used as a strong anticoagulant agent until it was genetically engineered in 1986. Thus, the first anticoagulant that was effectively used for the treatment of Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) was heparin. This was discovered by McLean in 1916. Charles and Scott succeeded by producing pure crystalline heparin in 1933, permitting its use in humans in 1935. The severity of venous diseases and the absence of convincing, effective blown vein treatment were no doubt the major reasons for the instant spread of this drug.
The use of compression therapy was reported during ancient Hippocrates, in Corpus Hippocraticum (450-350 BC), suggesting that compression bandages are effective against leg ulcers. It was only in the 19th century, after noticing that superficial vein thrombosis vanishes instantly after using compression bandages, that Lasker and Fischer, two German phlebologists, began recommending it to their patients suffering from DVT. However, the prolonged bed rest resulted in patients at that time restricting the diffusion of this method to DVT treatment. This approach started to be more commonly used along with anticoagulants.
In the 1950s, people swore by Heparin as the treatment of choice for DVT. However, surgery was still used in many cases. Multiple devices were proposed from the mid-1950s onwards to reduce surgery-related results. Unfortunately, these devices did not give a good clinical improvement and were linked with a rate of IVC thrombosis. In 1958, De Weese made the first intraluminal “harpgrip” filter, which was able to block the transit of emboli without disturbing the dynamics or functions of the venous system. It gave promising results, but its placement required general anesthesia and major surgery. This issue was tackled with the Mobin-Uddin umbrella (1967-1970), which was easier to install with a simple catheter under the influence of local anesthesia.
Other treatments complementary to anticoagulants were developed with the purpose of preventing long-term injuries. In current practice, early thrombus removal majorly depends on the use of pharmacologic thrombolytic agents. In today’s time, some studies suggest that thrombolysis is a bit superior to compression stockings and anticoagulants alone. However, some studies still conform to these suggestions.
Lastly, the major treatments for antiplatelet agents, statins, and atherothrombosis could be used to strengthen the DVT therapeutic weaponry in the upcoming years. No doubt, both drugs have recently been shown to get rid of VTE effectively. It is a therapeutic confirmation of the suspected link between atherothrombotic diseases and VTE. There are many ongoing therapeutic trials that assess numerous potential treatments for deep vein thrombosis (DVT), which are clear evidence of the dynamism of venous thrombosis research.
The history of DVT treatments began more than 700 years ago. It has involved surgical and medical treatments. Every main breakthrough was made during the 100 years. In the first half of the last century, anticoagulants were discovered, transferring the issue from the fear of death to less frequent and less severe complications. Complementary treatments were made, but they did not offer sufficiently good results to justify their use in daily practice. The later steps were made to enhance the DVT treatment and will probably pay attention to decreasing DVT morbidity. New oral anticoagulants might have the potential to cut down this morbidity via longer and safer duration of treatment. If you are looking to get varicose vein treatment in New Jersey, we suggest you opt for Jersey Joint, Spine, & Regen.