Revolutionary Varicose Vein Treatments

What causes varicose veins?

• Varicose veins are enlarged, bulging veins that can develop from defective or diseased valves in your legs. When these valves can’t close the way they should, blood leaks back into the vein and pools there. Vein walls then swell, causing varicose veins.

• Varicose veins are most common in the legs because those valves are further away from the heart and have to work harder to return deoxygenated blood. Veins in the legs rely on the calf muscles, which squeeze the blood into the veins and work against gravity.

• Both men and women experience varicose veins, although women are more likely to develop them.

• The most common causes of valve malfunction in the leg veins include heredity, pregnancy, your job, and a history of deep vein thrombosis. Obesity and trauma can also be contributing factors.

Every patient is different but in general, those suffering from varicose veins may expect:

• Swollen ankle or lower leg
• Skin near the ankle becoming dry or itchy
• A feeling of heaviness in the leg
• Fatigued legs
• Discoloration of skin
• Tenderness
• Pain in the legs
• A rash or ulcer on the ankle or lower leg

What to expect from your vein treatment process

Treatments are minimally invasive with only conscious sedation being administered. You can expect to walk out after your treatment but will need a driver to take you home. You may then return to normal activities, but could experience tenderness or soreness at the site of the procedure. A pulling/tight feeling 5-7 days after the procedure and bruising is a normal effect of the healing process and is to be expected.

• Initial consult: One of our physicians will examine your legs and determine if there is concern enough that you should continue through to the next phase of the treatment plan.

• Ultrasound: Our own ultrasound tech will get an ultrasound on the affected veins to get a vein mapping for the doctors and your insurance company. This procedure is approximately 1.5-2 hours and is completely pain-free.

• Ultrasound Follow-Up: The doctor will go over the results from your ultrasound and determine the next course of action, including what type and how many treatments you need. We will get the information to your insurance, which can take anywhere from 4-5 weeks to get approved. From here, you will get scheduled for however many treatments you may need.

• Treatments:  Depending on your treatment plan, you may be getting an EVLT (Endovenous Laser Treatment), Varithena® or VenaSeal to close off the defective veins. These treatments will have you in and out of our office in approximately an hour and a half and have little-to-no downtime. 

• Post-Operative Ultrasound: After you have finished your recommended treatments, our physicians will have you schedule a follow-up ultrasound. This is similar to your initial ultrasound and this is to check that all varicose veins have been remedied.

• Final Follow-up: You will meet with your doctor to discuss the results of your ultrasound. From there, the doctor will either say you have finished with your treatments or may need to treat more veins. If that is the case, we will get you scheduled for more treatments. We may have to re-submit to insurance again for approval.