Vein Treatments
Sclerotherapy
Sclerotherapy is a vein injection to close off a vein. It is beneficial to patients who have an isolated problem with one or two small veins, without significant damage to the underlying system of veins. The injection is given directly into the vein to stimulate scar tissue formation that leads to disappearance of the varicosity. The injected site may be sore for a few days. The injection site will be wrapped with an ace bandage which should be removed after 24 hours. It is normal for the area to be sore and to have some discoloration; this gradually disappears over the next couple of weeks. You should plan on no heavy activity the night after an injection, and do not fly for 10 days after an injection.
Ambulatory Phlebectomy
Some large veins that are directly underneath the skin are best treated with ambulatory phlebectomy. This is a procedure whereby a tiny incision is made adjacent to the vein and a specialized device is used to physically remove the vein. The instruments used create very small incisions that are nearly invisible once healed. Phlebectomy is performed in a staged fashion, after vein ablation or, occasionally, in the same setting. Phlebectomy is usually used for large veins close to surface of the skin that are left behind after the vein ablation procedure.
Vein Ablation
Depending on your anatomy, the procedures are chosen to get the best results with the least pain and the fastest return to full activities. We no longer perform vein stripping as we find Ablation Techniques are far less invasive and an equally effective procedures that can be performed in the office. A formal stripping physically removes the vein from your body. The ClosureFast technique gains access to the vein by means of a catheter and uses heat to collapse the vein by scarring it from within. The VenaSeal™ closure system delivers a small amount of a proprietary medical adhesive to the diseased vein. The adhesive closes the vein and blood is rerouted through nearby healthy veins. Please see videos below.
The ClosureFast technique gains access to the vein by means of a catheter and uses heat to collapse the vein by scarring it from within. Please see video below.
The VenaSeal™ closure system delivers a small amount of a proprietary medical adhesive to the diseased vein. The adhesive closes the vein and blood is rerouted through nearby healthy veins. Please see video below.
Vein ablation procedure: Where is it performed?
In almost all cases the procedure is performed as an outpatient in our office. On the day of your procedure, expect to be at the office for roughly 2-3 hours. You will be asked to check in 1 hour prior to procedure time. The procedure itself takes about 30 minutes. You will be observed for approximately 1 hour after the procedure is completed before you are discharged.
You will need someone to drive you home.
What should I expect after I go home?
While recovering, you want to minimize the amount of fluid that accumulates in your leg. You will need your leg elevated at all times. Walking is permitted, as long as you elevate your leg when sitting and avoid standing still for any length of time.
You will have a bandage wrapped from your ankle to your thigh. This will be removed at your follow up appointment.
