A quick, safe way to eradicate varicose veins
Women's Care
St. Joseph’s/Candler Physician Network – Vascular Specialists brings minimally-invasive, in-office treatment option varicose veins
One of the good things about living where we live is shorts and skirts can be worn most months of the year, right ladies? Unless, that is, you are one of the many adults who have varicose veins and hate to show off your legs.
Varicose veins can be more than cosmetic, causing pain and discomfort.
If you are looking to rid yourself of these unsightly veins, there’s a minimally-invasive treatment available in Savannah through St. Joseph’s/Candler Physician Network – Vascular Specialists.
It’s called VenaSeal, an in-office procedure that uses a small wired catheter and glue to clog up the vein and stop the blood from sitting in there, describes Dr. Peter Hunt, vascular surgeon with St. Joseph’s/Candler Physician Network – Vascular Specialists.
“With this, there’s no trauma to the vein,” Dr. Hunt says. “You are just plugging it up and filling it with this glue, which is the same medical glue that has been used for years when someone has a surgery and this glue is used in the incision.”
Understanding varicose veins
Varicose veins are about a half centimeter in size and dilated. They bulge out of the soft tissue and have the appearance of a rope-shaped vessel, Dr. Hunt says, and are often blue and purple in color.
For some, these veins are just a cosmetic nuisance and are not harmful. However, some may experience symptoms and need to seek treatment. Symptoms of painful varicose veins can include:
- Aching at the vein
- Heaviness in your legs
- Leg fatigue
- Swelling, primarily below the knee
- Tightness in portions of your leg
- Discoloration of skin
For many, these veins are unavoidable as the most common causes are heredity and venous insufficiency, but obesity, pregnancy, even a career that causes you to stand a lot can contribute to the formation of varicose veins.
Related Article: What is venous insufficiency?
A minimally-invasive treatment option
Treatment typically begins with a conservation approach – medical-grade compression stockings. No, not very glamorous, but unless you are willing to pay out of pocket, this is often the first treatment option.
If that fails after three months, there are ways to treat varicose veins in a minimally-invasive manner that your insurance may cover. One example uses a catheter to deliver radiofrequency energy to heat the vein wall, closing off the vein. This procedure requires numbing medication at the site of the ablation, which some find painful, Dr. Hunt says.
So for some patients, there is a newer treatment called VenaSeal. This device, developed by Medtronic, also closes off damaged veins and diverts blood flow to healthy ones, Dr. Hunt describes. Instead of radiofrequency heat, VenaSeal uses an advanced medical adhesive to close the vein.
“It’s a glue that has been used for people that have had brain aneurysms,” Dr. Hunt says, assuring its safety. “It’s been used in other surgeries, and they discovered it is effective in this application.”
What are the advantages of VenaSeal?
- Less numbing medication needed during the procedure
- Less bruising afterwards
- Less pain afterwards
- No sedation necessary
- No compression stockings needed afterwards
- Takes about 20 to 30 minutes in office
Patients may feel a mild tugging sensation during the procedure and only need a band-aid to cover the area afterwards. Most people can return to their normal activities right away, but Dr. Hunt does advise no heavy lifting or strenuous activity for two weeks. He also recommends a two-week follow-up appointment just to make sure everything went well, and then a three-month follow-up to ensure the varicose veins are resolving.
“Long-term success for VenaSeal and venous ablation are both equal. Both can be done in the office,” Dr. Hunt says. “Patients who come to us will have different options, but for most people who suffer from varicose veins, the VenaSeal option is the future.”
Additionally, VenaSeal can treat varicose veins across the entire leg. Venous ablation isn’t recommended for varicose veins on the lower leg, especially near the ankle, because of risk of damage to nerves near the vein, Dr. Hunt says.
However, VenaSeal isn’t for everyone, especially if you have an allergy to glues. But, If you are ready to rid yourself of the look or pain associated with your varicose veins, talk to you doctor about seeing one of our vascular surgeons.