● From Antiquity to Today
History of varicose vein treatments
What venous conditions can be treated with the AVALL method? Trace the evolution of venous treatments, from the first attempts in Antiquity to the AVALL method developed by Dr Gabriel LASRY.
Timeline
Evolution of venous treatments
From Antiquity to modern techniques, trace the key milestones that led to the birth of the AVALL method.
Antiquity: the first attempts
Varicose veins have been known since Antiquity. Hippocrates' texts (5th century BC) already described veins as "tortuous and painful" in the legs. The Romans sometimes performed rudimentary incisions to relieve patients, but these treatments were often painful, ineffective and risky.
19th century: the beginnings of venous surgery
With the rise of modern medicine, the first structured surgical procedures emerged:
- Rindfleisch (1908) proposed a spiral subcutaneous excision.
- Keller (1905) and Babcock (1907) introduced venous stripping, which involved pulling out the diseased vein using a metal hook.
These techniques marked a turning point but remained invasive, painful and causing significant scarring.
20th century: improvement of surgical techniques
- Stripping became the reference technique for decades, despite post-operative pain and long recovery periods.
- Cryo-stripping (using cold to attach to the vein) emerged to limit tissue damage.
- Ambulatory phlebectomy (Müller) in the 1960s allowed the removal of superficial varicose veins through small incisions, on an outpatient basis.
Despite these advances, classical surgery remained aggressive, with a long recovery, and sometimes prone to recurrence.
1990s–2000s: revolution of minimally invasive techniques
Vascular medicine entered a new era:
- Emergence of endovenous laser and radiofrequency (RF): using heat to close the diseased vein without removing it.
- Less pain, fewer complications, no scarring.
- Development of conservative hemodynamic approaches: CHIVA (venous conservation) and ASVAL (Selective Ablation of Varicose Veins under Local Anesthesia).
These techniques reflected a desire to preserve the integrity of the venous network while reducing surgical trauma.
Today: AVALL, the natural evolution of modern surgery
Building on minimally invasive methods, Dr Gabriel LASRY developed the AVALL technique:
- A laser under local anesthesia approach, even more targeted and secured by the addition of minimally invasive surgery (crossectomy).
- No hospitalization
- No general anesthesia
- And above all: fast recovery and lasting effectiveness
AVALL represents the synthesis of the technological precision of modern laser, the safety of local anesthesia, and the comfort of outpatient treatment.
📌 In Summary
The Evolution of Varicose Vein Treatments
| Era | Main method | Disadvantages |
|---|---|---|
| Antiquity | Scarifications, herbs | Ineffective, painful |
| 19th century | Stripping, metal hooks | Traumatic, heavy anesthesia |
| 20th century | Modern stripping, cryo | Scarring, long recovery |
| 1990s | Laser, radiofrequency, ASVAL | Gentler, but expensive equipment |
| Today | AVALL (Dr LASRY) | Effective, fast, painless, outpatient |
AVALL = Improved Endovenous Laser — by enhancing endovenous laser with junction closure (treating the root cause), the AVALL method delivers unmatched lasting results.
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Whether you are in Morocco or abroad, benefit from comprehensive care with Dr Gabriel LASRY: teleconsultation, personalized quote, logistical assistance and tailored post-treatment follow-up.