American patients say goodbye to varicose veins with CHIVA therapy

Mr. M (pseudonym), 37 years old this year, was once a marathon enthusiast . As his work changed, he needed to sit or stand for long periods, and the high-intensity work pace gradually caused physical discomfort—he began to experience significant swelling and pain in the back of his left calf, and the symptoms worsened over time. In addition , Mr. M has a family history of varicose veins; his mother also suffers from the condition, which was also a significant contributing factor to his illness.

Case Overview

Mr. M (pseudonym), 37 years old this year, was once a marathon enthusiast . As his work changed, he needed to sit or stand for long periods, and the high-intensity work pace gradually caused physical discomfort—he began to experience significant swelling and pain in the back of his left calf, and the symptoms worsened over time. In addition , Mr. M has a family history of varicose veins; his mother also suffers from the condition, which was also a significant contributing factor to his illness.

Cause & Challenge

Seeking professional and effective treatment, Mr. M, with the assistance of Harbor Health, traveled to the medical institution of Dr.Smile Medical Group in Beijing for consultation. The medical team ultimately diagnosed him with varicose veins in his lower extremities. Considering Mr. M's love of sports and his desire for a rapid recovery, the treatment team developed a personalized CHIVA treatment plan for him. After thorough communication, Mr. M successfully underwent surgical treatment. Thanks to the minimally invasive nature of the CHIVA therapy, the entire surgery was performed as a day surgery, requiring no hospitalization. Mr. M was able to walk immediately after the surgery and even engage in some light exercise, greatly minimizing the impact of the treatment on his life. Dr.Smile Medical Group: Leading the forefront of intravenous diagnosis and treatment.

Why China

Harbor Health connected the patient with appropriate Chinese medical resources, coordinated expert review, hospital access, interpretation, and treatment planning based on the case needs.

Treatment & Benefits

Vessel-preserving CHIVA therapy relieved long-term leg discomfort.

Full Story

Cross-border cooperation, precise diagnosis and treatment to relieve pain

Seeking professional and effective treatment, Mr. M, with the assistance of Harbor Health, traveled to the medical institution of Dr.Smile Medical Group in Beijing for consultation. The medical team ultimately diagnosed him with varicose veins in his lower extremities. Considering Mr. M's love of sports and his desire for a rapid recovery, the treatment team developed a personalized CHIVA treatment plan for him. After thorough communication, Mr. M successfully underwent surgical treatment. Thanks to the minimally invasive nature of the CHIVA therapy, the entire surgery was performed as a day surgery, requiring no hospitalization. Mr. M was able to walk immediately after the surgery and even engage in some light exercise, greatly minimizing the impact of the treatment on his life.

Dr.Smile Medical Group: Leading the forefront of intravenous diagnosis and treatment.

Founded in 2014 and headquartered in Shanghai, Dr. Smile Medical Group is a leading medical institution in China specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of venous diseases. It has CHIVA centers for varicose veins in multiple cities including Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen , and Jinan , and is actively pursuing international expansion, having already established CHIVA centers in Africa and the United States. As the initiator and participant of global CHIVA international certification among Chinese physicians, the group first introduced the CHIVA surgical concept to China in 2011. In 2017, it fully adopted CHIVA therapy to replace traditional destructive surgery, serving over 20,000 varicose vein patients and holding a leading position in the industry in clinical practice, academic research, and technological innovation.

CHIVA therapy – a new minimally invasive treatment method that “preserves blood vessels”

CHIVA therapy, short for "Outpatient Conservative Hemodynamic Treatment for Venous Insufficiency," was proposed by Professor Claude Franceschi of France in 1988 and introduced to China by Dr. Zhang Qiang in 2011, where it has been gradually promoted. Its core concept is based on hemodynamic analysis to precisely locate venous reflux and return points. Through minimally invasive ligation or segmentation of high-pressure columns, it reduces transmural pressure in the superficial venous system, allowing over-dilated or varicose vessels to naturally shrink within several months, rather than drastically destroying or removing the vessels.

As a complete diagnostic and treatment system, the CHIVA therapy encompasses three core components: precise preoperative assessment, personalized intraoperative procedures, and systematic postoperative follow-up. Preoperatively, a detailed hemodynamic assessment is conducted using Doppler ultrasound to generate a hemodynamic map and clarify the cause of the disease. During the procedure, local anesthesia is used, requiring only a small incision and no large-area vascular dissection. Postoperatively, patients do not need to remain in bed for extended periods and can quickly resume normal activities. Regular follow-up is also necessary to ensure the gradual recovery of vascular function.

Advantages Comparison: Significant Advantages of CHIVA Therapy Compared to Traditional Surgery

Compared to traditional varicose vein surgeries (such as high ligation and stripping, laser ablation, etc.), the CHIVA therapy has significant advantages in terms of efficacy, safety, and recovery speed, specifically in the following aspects:

First, preserving blood vessels leads to more significant long-term benefits. The core of CHIVA therapy is "dredging" rather than "blocking," preserving the body's superficial venous network as much as possible, avoiding large-area resection or burning of blood vessels. The preserved great saphenous vein can also be used for possible bypass surgery in the future, leaving a guarantee for the patient's subsequent health, while traditional surgery often requires destroying or abandoning the main venous trunk.

Secondly, it is minimally invasive and safe, with a low complication rate. The CHIVA procedure uses local anesthesia, with fewer and smaller surgical incisions, minimal bleeding, and minimal damage to leg tissues and nerves. A clinical controlled trial showed that no nerve damage occurred in patients undergoing CHIVA surgery, while the incidence of nerve damage in traditional stripping surgery can be nearly 10 %.

Third, it is a day surgery with extremely high recovery efficiency. CHIVA therapy does not require hospitalization, and patients can walk immediately after the surgery, quickly returning to normal work and life; while traditional surgery usually requires hospitalization for 3-7 days, and long-term bed rest is required after the surgery, resulting in a long recovery period.

Fourth, it has a lower recurrence rate and longer-lasting effects. Related studies show that the long-term recurrence rate after CHIVA therapy is about 5%, while the recurrence rate after several years after traditional peeling, laser and other methods is several times that of CHIVA therapy , making it especially suitable for patients with a family history of genetic diseases or those who need to maintain a specific posture for a long time.

Mr. M's successful treatment not only provides a valuable case study for international varicose vein patients but also further promotes the minimally invasive concept of CHIVA therapy. In the future, Harbor Health will collaborate with Dr.Smile Medical Group to continuously promote the international adoption of CHIVA technology, safeguarding the lower limb vascular health of more patients both domestically and internationally.