The Medical Superglue procedure permanently seals affected veins with a cyanoacrylate-based adhesive.
Medical Superglue is not specifically used to treat the actual varicose veins but instead works to improve the diseased veins so direct and more invasive treatment is not required.
Before the Medical Superglue Procedure:
You do not need to cease any medications.
Do not shave your legs.
Do not apply moisturiser on the day of treatment.
Wear slacks or loose trousers or shorts to the appointment and ensure that you have a comfortable pair of walking shoes.
Pre-medication is generally not necessary. If you have a particularly low pain threshold, take 2 Paracetamol tablets or 2 Ibuprofen tablets with food before the procedure
The Procedure:
You will have an ultrasound imaging exam of the leg that is to be treated to confirm the area where Medical Superglue will be used.
The doctor will again discuss the procedure with you.
A brief summary of what to expect is below:
You may feel some minor pain or stinging with the injection of the local anaesthetic to numb the site where the doctor will access your vein.
Once the area is numb, your doctor will insert the catheter (i.e., a small hollow tube) into your leg. You may feel some pressure from the placement of the catheter but it will not be painful.
The catheter will be placed in specific areas along the diseased vein to deliver small amounts of the medical adhesive. You may feel some mild sensation of pulling or tugging. Ultrasound will be used during the procedure to guide and position the catheter.
After treatment, the catheter is removed and a dressing placed over the puncture site.
After the Procedure:
You will be free to immediately leave the clinic.
You will be directed to go for a 10-minute walk before you go home.
Walking for 10-15 minutes per day is advised until you see your Doctor again after 2 weeks.
Continue with normal exercise activities after 48 hours
Avoid long haul flights for at least 2 weeks after treatment or if you want to travel before that time then please discuss with Your Doctor and appropriate arrangements can be made.
Your veins will be checked with Ultrasound 2 weeks after your treatment.
Sometimes the treated vein becomes sore but this will invariably settle down with time and may on occasion need some mild analgesia and some Anti-inflammatory medication
Potential Risks:
The Medical Superglue procedure is minimally invasive and catheter-based. As such, it may involve the following risks. Your doctor can help you understand these risks.
Uncommon:
Pain – Mild to moderate pain may persist for 1-2 weeks along the treated vein. Post Medical Superglue procedure discomfort should be managed with a combination of light walking and rest (with leg elevation) along with anti-inflammatory medication such as Nurofen or Voltaren.
Paraesthesia (i.e., a feeling of tingling, pricking, numbness or burning) – this has been reported in some studies and is thought to be a result of inflammation around the treated vein temporarily affecting surrounding nerves.
Phlebitis (i.e., inflammation and soreness of the treated vein) – this may occur along the inner thigh in line with the treated vein. This is again managed with anti-inflammatories and stockings. Your Doctor should be contacted if this is limiting your activity.
Swelling in the treated leg
Very uncommon:
Bleeding from the access site
Hematoma (i.e., the collection of blood outside of a vessel)
Hyperpigmentation (i.e., darkening of the skin)
Rare:
Infection at the access site
Non-specific mild inflammation of the cutaneous and subcutaneous tissue
Allergic reaction to Medical Superglue adhesive
Deep vein thrombosis (i.e. blood clot in the deep vein system)
Pulmonary embolism (i.e. blockage of an artery in the lungs)
Neurological deficits including stroke and death
Vascular rupture and perforation
Visible scarring
Arteriovenous fistula (i.e., an abnormal connection between an artery and a vein)
Urticaria (i.e., hives) or ulceration may occur at the site of injection
After graduating from the University of Queensland with a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery, Dr Jackman travelled all across Australia, gathering experience in Cairns, Darwin, and Broome.
Dr Jackman spent several years with the Royal Flying Doctors, helping people in far off communities, and has been a GP for over 15 years. Through her GP experience, she gained a high valuation for how movement and mobility affects many aspects of a person’s wellbeing, and led her to gaining irreplaceable knowledge from the Australasian College of Phlebology and becoming a gold medal recipient from the college.
We are delighted that Dr Jackman has found a home as part of the Vein Doctors Group family.
Outside of the medical world, Dr Jackman continues to push herself physically and mentally. She refined her sense of aesthetics and appreciation of beauty through studying Fashion and Textile Design in Perth, and also enjoys a passion in kitesurfing. The latter of which led her competing in the Women’s Open Ocean Kite Foiling race in Mauritius against an elite field of international competitors.
Dr Jackman’s personal attentiveness toward physical and mental health has motivated her to practice the same philosophy toward her patients. In particular, she respects the importance movement and mobility has on every aspect on one’s wellbeing, and how an effective treatment of vein issues can significantly enhance her efforts in those pursuits.
Dr Nicholas Teo
Born in Singapore, Dr Nicholas Teo moved to Queensland to study medicine at the University of Queensland and fell in love with sunny Queensland where he has lived, trained and worked for the past 10 years. Dr Teo graduated with a Bachelor of Medicine and a Bachelor of Surgery from the University of Queensland in 2015.
Dr. Teo has worked at the Gold Coast University Hospital, the Toowoomba Base Hospital and at the St Andrews Hospital in Toowoomba. He gained solid experience with acute medicine and cardiac emergency units, aiding the development of the Rapid Access Heart Centre at St. Andrews Hospital, and also spent time as a GP. His time treating emergency cardiac issues led to an interest in studying an ultrasound course and becoming a member of the Australasian Society of Ultrasound in Medicine.
In his experience, Dr. Teo saw firsthand how severe the impact of having painful, swollen legs could be. He witnessed the transformative potential modern Phlebology treatments could have in combining ultrasound skills with the cutting edge treatment of chronic venous disease and leg ulcers.
Dr. Teo further cemented his qualifications to treat spider veins and varicose veins by becoming a certified sclerotherapist, working towards a Fellowship with the Australasian College of Phlebology. Outside of medicine, Dr Teo has lived and studied in Singapore, in the USA and in Canada. He enjoys swimming, snowboarding, and spending time on the beach with his family.
Dr Jane Cross
Dr Jane Cross is a vascular, endovascular and general surgeon working in North Sydney.
Dr Cross was awarded a Master’s degree from Cambridge University, UK. She then completed her medical education in London where she graduated with a distinction in her MBBS (University of London). She undertook an internship in London and residency in Bristol before being accepted onto the Oxford Basic Surgical Training Programme. Having gained membership of the Royal College of Surgeons of England (MRCS), she was then accepted onto the Oxford Higher Surgical Training Programme where she underwent specialist training in both General and Vascular Surgery. During her training she completed a Medical Doctorate degree at University College London (UCL). She was awarded her Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons of England (FRCS) before competing clinical fellowships in Paris and Sydney. She gained Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (FRACS) and has worked at consultant level in Lismore, northern NSW, for the past seven years. She has recently made the move to Sydney and has happily worked at our North Sydney clinic ever since.
Her specialist areas include arterial, venous, aneurysmal, fistula, carotid, hernia, cholecystectomy, laparoscopic, skin and breast surgery.
Stuart McMaster
Dr Stuart McMaster joined the vein doctors group in 2019, having previously worked with Dr Lekich in providing an outreach vein clinic in Mackay in the early 2010s, and provided vein treatment services to patients on Brisbane’s North Side since the mid 2000s.
Dr McMaster graduated from the University of Otago Medical School in 1987, working initially as a general practitioner and rural hospital clinician and obtaining general practice fellowship (FRNZGP) in 1991. Emigrating to Brisbane in 2003, he then pursued special interests of Skin Cancer medicine and Phlebology to add to his general practice skills. As one of the first cohort of doctors to graduate with the Australasian College of Phlebology, Dr McMaster gained his experience particularly under the mentorship of Dr David Jenkins in Sydney, as well as Dr Kurosh Parsi, Dr Paul Thibault and Professor Lourens Bester.
Dr McMaster continues to practice and has substantial clinical experience in the use of all of the modern non surgical means to treat both varicose and surface veins. He also manages other venous problems of the lower limbs such as venous malformations, superficial phlebitis and deep vein thrombosis. As well as this he maintains a broad interest in General Practice, Emergency medicine, rural and remote medicine and skin cancer medicine.
Dr McMaster has held positions as an Examiner with the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, and the Chief Censor with the Australasian College of Phlebology.
My philosphy is to treat venous diseases in the most efficient and effective manner possible, while avoiding unnecessary and potentially harmful interventions. I aim to give every person who attends an improvement in their knowledge of venous disease, an improvement in their symptoms and appearance of their veins, and a better quality of life.
Dr Chris Lekich
Dr Lekich is the Medical Director of Vein Doctors Group. He changed career paths from pursuing an eye career to the treatment of venous disease following the serious complication of a blood clot his then-wife had with varicose veins during pregnancy. As well as offering a comprehensive modern non-surgical treatment for varicose veins, Dr Lekich established a pregnancy vein service to support women with varicose veins during pregnancy.
Further, he explored the specialised Open Ended Vasectomy to offer this service to the partners of his female patients who have to stop the oral contraceptive pill due to their varicose veins.After completing his medical degree in 1991 from the University of Queensland, Dr Lekich worked at the Royal Brisbane Hospital as a resident for three years. As a senior medical officer, he completed numerous country hospital rotations as a relieving Medical Superintendent. At Royal Brisbane Hospital his focus was on surgical/procedural-based specialisations.
Further, he has a strong background in Emergency Medicine and eyes namely the retina.Dr Lekich’s four (4) year fellowship training with the peak body for non-surgical management of venous disorder in Australia was with the Australasian College of Phlebology. This meant that Dr. Lekich had achieved the highest level of structured advanced training for this modern non-surgical treatment of venous disorders in Australia.
To enable Dr Lekich to deliver the best possible ultrasound assisted treatment of varicose veins, he has undergone formal training by way of Certificate of Ultrasound in Phlebology (C.U.P): Introductory Course and Certificate of Ultrasound in Phlebology (C.U.P): Advanced Course.Dr Lekich’s supervisor during his advanced training was A/Prof Kurosh Parsi who is the Australasian College of Phlebology President, Vice President of the International Union of Phlebology and a PhD Researcher.
Other mentors of note are Australasian College of Phlebology founding members Dr Thibault, the father of Phlebology in Australia (NSW), Dr Loizou (Victoria) and Dr Jenkins (NSW).
Dr Lekich regularly attends conferences and on-going education seminars. He regularly speaks at scientific meetings and conferences and is involved in delivering workshops training doctors. Further Dr. Lekich is a preceptor, mentor and supervisor for phlebology trainees.
Apart from the study of medicine, whilst working full time, Dr Lekich has furthered his university education completing a postgraduate law degree (Juris Doctor) from Bond University in 2004 inspired by the medical indemnity crisis. He then completed the Bar Practice Course at the Queensland University of Technology in 2005 and was admitted as a Barrister in the Supreme Court of Queensland in 2005.
He completed his Masters of Business Administration also at Bond University and has been an Assistant Professor in the Bond University Medical School, Gold Coast Australia.Additional to Dr. Lekich’s venous work, he was trained by the pioneer of the specialised form of vasectomy Dr. Bruce Errey of the 30,041 Open Ended Vasectomy fame. This approach to vasectomy is very specialised and performed by a small percentage of doctors. This form of vasectomy is designed to minimise post vasectomy congestion pain and is more readily reversible should circumstances change.
This Open Ended Vasectomy service complements the care Dr. Lekich provides his female vein patients so that they can stop the oral contraceptive pill.Further Dr Lekich has been trained to perform microsurgery personally at the microscope over three years by the Father of Microsurgery, Professor Earl Owen. Professor Owen performed the world’s first hand and double hands transplant and the collaborator of the first face transplant. This microsurgical training enables Dr Lekich to successfully reverse vasectomies.Dr Lekich is a devoted father of three children and he enjoys influencing them to the best young adults they can be. His other languages include fluent Croatian and Serbian.
The following are Dr Chris Lekich’s professional Society Memberships:
Preceptor Graduate School of Medicine-Clinical and Scientific Teaching -1997
Australian Medical Association -National Membership-Current
Australian Medical Association -Queensland Branch Membership- Current
Gold Coast Medical Association- Current
Clinical Ophthalmic Workshop Mentor Programme – Princess Alexandra Hospital July 2004
Admitted Supreme Court Queensland as Legal Practitioner, March 2005.
Member Queensland Bar Association 2005 – Current
Assistant Professor Medical School Bond University 2005-2010
AHPRA Medical Board of Australia Registration- Current
Member of the American Society of Reproductive Medicine
Member of the Australasian College of Phlebology (ACP)-Current
Preceptor for Australasian College of Phlebology Basic and Advanced Training-Current
Member of the Australian New Zealand Society of Phlebology -Current
Member of the Medico legal Society of Queensland-Current
Board Member of the Australasian College of Phlebology -Current
ACP Chair of the Australian Medical Council Specialist Accreditation Committee-Current
ACP Member of the Continuing Professional Development Committee -Current
ACP Member of the Ethics and Standards Committee-Current
Vein Doctors Group has seven clinic locations across Australia
Vein Doctors Group Gold Coast
We strive for 100% customer satisfaction. If we fell short, please tell us more so we can address your concerns.
Vein Doctors Group Sydney
We strive for 100% customer satisfaction. If we fell short, please tell us more so we can address your concerns.
Vein Doctors Group Brisbane
We strive for 100% customer satisfaction. If we fell short, please tell us more so we can address your concerns.