Vein Treatments

Vein Issues

Deep Vein Thrombosis

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a medical condition that occurs when a blood clot forms in a deep vein. These clots usually develop in the lower leg, thigh, or pelvis, but they can also occur in the arm. Symptoms include pain and swelling.

DVT is most commonly treated with anticoagulants, also called blood thinners. These drugs don't break up existing blood clots, but they can prevent clots from getting bigger and reduce your risk of developing more clots. Blood thinners may be taken by mouth or given by IV or an injection under the skin.

Spider Veins

Spider veins are small, damaged veins that can appear on the surface of the legs or face. They are usually not painful or harmful, but some people may wish to treat them for cosmetic reasons. Spider veins can be blue, purple, or red and may appear in the form of thin lines, webs, or branches.

Spider veins can be removed by laser treatment or sclerotherapy. Both of these treatments provide satisfactory results with almost no downtime. Patients most often can resume even high-intensity physical activity the next day. Laser treatment is popular.

Varicose Veins

Varicose veins are twisted, enlarged veins. Any superficial vein may become varicosed, but the veins most commonly affected are those in your legs. That's because standing and walking upright increases the pressure in the veins of your lower body. Varicose veins can cause aching pain and discomfort. Sometimes varicose veins lead to more-serious problems.

The following doctor prescribed lifestyle changes may help prevent varicose veins from forming or becoming worse:

Avoid standing for extended periods of time.
Lose weight or maintain a healthy weight.
Exercise to improve your circulation.
Use compression socks or stockings.

Currently, a wide variety of minimally invasive treatment options for varicose veins are available. These include:

sclerotherapy, using a liquid or foam chemical injection to block off a larger vein
microsclerotherapy, using a liquid chemical injection to block off smaller veins
laser surgery, using light energy to block off a vein
endovenous ablation therapy, using heat and radiofrequency waves to block off a vein
endoscopic vein surgery, using a small lighted scope inserted through a small incision to block off a vein

Venous Insufficiency

Chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) is a condition that occurs when the venous wall and/or valves in the leg veins are not working effectively, making it difficult for blood to return to the heart from the legs. CVI causes blood to “pool” or collect in these veins, and this pooling is called stasis.

Some of the basic treatment strategies include:

Avoid long periods of standing or sitting: If you must take a long trip and will be sitting for a long time, flex and extend your legs, feet, and ankles about 10 times every 30 minutes to keep the blood flowing in the leg veins. If you need to stand for long periods of time, take frequent breaks to sit down and elevate your feet.
Exercise regularly. Walking is especially beneficial.
Lose weight if you are overweight.
Elevate your legs while sitting and lying down, with your legs elevated above the level of your heart.
Wear compression stockings.
Take antibiotics as needed to treat skin infections.
Practice good skin hygiene.

The goals of treatment are to reduce the pooling of blood and prevent leg ulcers.

Endovenous Radio Frequency Ablation

Endovenous radiofrequency ablation is a minimally invasive alternative to vein stripping for the treatment of varicose veins. Varicose veins are veins in which the valves are damaged to the point that there is a backflow of blood, called venous reflux. Venous reflux interferes with efficient circulation and causes blood to pool in the affected veins and cause distention.

Endovenous radiofrequency ablation of varicose veins offers patients effective results with less pain, less bleeding, and a shorter recovery period than traditional procedures. This procedure is performed for medical and cosmetic purposes under local or general anesthesia. Endovenous radiofrequency ablation is usually performed in an hour or less.

Radiofrequency treatment offers benefits over vein stripping and other treatment methods. These benefits may include the following:

Speed of the procedure
Short recovery time
Little discomfort
Little or no scarring or bruising
Less swelling

Endovenous Laser Therapy

Endovenous Laser Therapy, known as EVLT, is a minimally invasive procedure used to treat unsightly varicose veins. It is an alternative to the painful, lengthy ligation and stripping procedure. EVLT is fast, safe, and effective and provides cosmetic benefits which improve the patient‘s quality of life. This simple procedure is performed in the doctor‘s office and takes less than an hour.

Ligation and stripping was once the primary treatment for varicose veins since it was the only treatment available. While effective, ligation and stripping is an invasive surgical procedure that was performed under general anesthesia and required up to two weeks of recovery time. Many patients experienced pain during and after this procedure since several incisions were involved in the process. EVLT offers patients a highly effective, but much less invasive, alternative.

EVLT is a relatively uncomplicated procedure. Some of the benefits of this therapy include that EVLT:

Takes less than an hour to perform
Is an outpatient procedure
Offers immediate relief from symptoms
Does not necessitate a long recovery
Does not require general anesthesia
Results in no scarring
Has a success rate of 98 percent

Scirotherapy

Sclerotherapy is a minimally invasive medical procedure used to treat varicose and spider veins, most commonly found on the legs, by collapsing them through the use of a solvent. Sclerotherapy has been used on patients since the 1930s with great success, producing increasingly effective medical, as well as cosmetic, results.

Some of the reasons a patient may desire, or a physician may recommend, sclerotherapy may include one or more of the following symptoms:

Pain, aching or burning sensations in the legs or feet
Swelling or redness at the site
Cramping of the legs, especially at night
Scaly, dry or discolored skin at the site
Discomfort after sitting or standing for long periods

Individuals troubled by varicose veins may choose, in consultation with their physician, to undergo sclerotherapy either because they find them unattractive or because the diseased veins are causing unpleasant and/or dangerous symptoms.

Venous Ultrasound

Venous ultrasound is used to diagnose vascular conditions in the legs. This procedure can effectively detect blood clots in the legs that may cause dangerous conditions such as deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism. While many diseased leg veins are visible on the skin in the form of varicose or spider veins, some patients may experience significant venous reflux, or back flow, that can only be detected through ultrasound imaging. A venous ultrasound shows a thorough, detailed image of the veins, along with the direction of blood flow, to help accurately diagnose vascular conditions.

This procedure can identify narrowed or blocked arteries or veins or faulty valves. Venous ultrasound is an essential part of successful vein treatment. Most often it is performed on patients with leg swelling, varicose or spider veins, or patients with symptoms of peripheral artery disease or venous insufficiency. Symptoms of these conditions may include:

Pain, cramping, numbness, itching
Pain made worse by standing
Pain improved by elevating the leg
Discoloration or hardening of the skin on the leg
Ulceration of the leg

The ultrasound procedure is an alternative to venography or arteriography. In addition to assisting in the diagnosis of ongoing vascular conditions, venous ultrasound may also be utilized to diagnose the extent of vascular injuries and to evaluate vascular repair. The process may also be used to pinpoint a location for needle or catheter placement