Vein Removal and Treatment Options
VNUS Closure
This technique involves placing a catheter into the diseased vein under local anesthesia and guiding it to the point of highest reflux under ultrasound guidance. The RF energy produces heat that seals the vein eliminating the reflux.
Endovenous Laser Treatment
For patients that qualify, Endovenous Laser Treatment (EVLT) is a safe, effective non-surgical laser procedure that eliminates varicose veins at the source. Using laser energy to close the faulty varicose veins, the procedure is quick, painless and minimally invasive to help you look and feel better fast. The treatment takes about 45 minutes and provides immediate relief of your symptoms.
Please be sure to bring your compression stocking to this procedure to allow for proper healing. After the treatment, you can return to your normal activities right away so you do not have to take time off from work or your daily routine.
The new Cool Touch 1320 wavelength laser has eliminated much of the postoperative discomfort previously experienced with lasers of other wavelengths adding yet another advantage to the noninvasive treatment of varicose vein disease.
Both procedures are done under local anesthesia and take a couple of hours to complete. The endovenous procedure will often be combined with a microphlebectomy to remove the prominent varicose veins. Most patients report little if any pain during the procedure other than the discomfort from the small needle used to instill the anesthesia.
The Vein Center is one of the few centers offering both VNUS Closure and laser procedures to its patients. With both options available, we are able to tailor the treatment to the individual.
Microphlebectomy
Microphlebectomy is the removal of varicose veins through incisions as small as the size of a needle tip. The procedure is often undertaken in combination with an endovenous procedure or as a stand-alone procedure in patients who do not have major vein reflux. Patients are encouraged to resume walking on the day of the procedure and engage in their normal activities as soon as possible. In most patients, the incisions are barely visible several months later.
Foam Sclerotherapy
Foam sclerotherapy is an exciting option offered by the Vein Center for the treatment of varicose veins. It allows a noninvasive method of eliminating larger veins without the use of incisions. When air is mixed with a sclerosant, a foam solution is created. When injected into a vein, it will displace blood inside the vessel, allowing direct contact between the vein wall and the sclerosant. The end result is sealing of the vein and eventual absorption by the body.
Spider Veins
Visual sclerotherapy is the “gold standard” in treating this disorder. These veins are injected with an extremely small needle that most patients report as a “pinching”. The solutions used are called sclerosants and are made specifically for the elimination of spider veins. Our Center does not use saline injections, common with many practitioners, because it is more painful and associated with a higher incident of side effects.
The most important principle in the successful treatment of spider veins is eliminating the underlying sources of abnormal venous pressure that are responsible for the appearance of spider veins. It may be as simple as foam sclerotherapy to the underlying blue veins or eliminating reflux in the deeper veins of the leg with an endovenous procedure. For that reason, spider vein patients undergo both an ultrasound and Veinlite examination prior to our recommending a treatment plan.
It’s important for patients who undergo sclerotherapy to understand that it takes an average of three to four treatments, spaced two months apart, to obtain a clearance of about 90%. How many treatments is up to the individual patient depending on the results they wish to achieve. Surface laser is playing an increasing role in the treatment of spider veins but should not be used indiscriminately in all patients who present with spider veins. Improper selection of patients can lead to unsatisfactory results, complications, or even the proliferation of veins that may be resistant to treatment.