What Are the Best Treatments That Any Leading Vein Center Can Offer? A Vascular Surgeon’s Opinion
What is minimally invasive vein treatment?
‘Invasive’ refers to any procedure that involves breaching the skin and entering the body. Surgery is an extremely invasive technique, as it involves slicing open the skin, carrying out the required procedure, and suturing the skin back together. When we use the term ‘minimally invasive’ it means that the technique used requires the smallest possible amount of skin breach – usually just a small puncture, like an injection.
But how can veins be treated through a small puncture? When vein doctors treat varicose veins, they usually insert a flexible tube (called a catheter), through the skin, into the defective vein. Any treatment that the vein needs is done through this catheter. The vein doctor usually visualizes the entire process through real-time ultrasonic imaging. Once the treatment process is complete, the catheter is simply removed, and the skin puncture can heal on its own. There is usually no need for suturing.
When veins are treated using minimally invasive treatment, they are usually sealed off so that blood can no longer flow through them. When the veins are no longer in use, the body digests them, and they shrink and eventually disappear.
What kinds of minimally invasive vein treatment are offered at a vein center?
Your vein doctor would use one of the following methods to seal off your varicose veins:
- Radiofrequency ablation: A radiofrequency catheter is inserted into the vein through the skin puncture. This delivers heat through radiofrequency waves directly to the vein walls, which melt and seal off from within.
- Endovenous ablation: This uses laser energy from a laser fiber instead of radiofrequency waves. Laser energy is more intense, and delivers higher temperatures, which makes it slightly more uncomfortable than RFA.
- VenaSeal: Medical grade glue is delivered in drops throughout the vein. Pressure is applied from outside to help the vein walls adhere to the glue, and to each other.
- Clarivein: A catheter with a rotating tip is inserted into the vein. The catheter delivers sclerosant, a medicated solution that causes vein walls to swell and stick together. The rotating tip helps disperse sclerosant throughout the length of the vein.
- Varithena: Used for smaller or residual veins, this involves injecting medicated foam into the vein. The foam gets dispersed through smaller veins automatically, and functions similar to sclerosant to seal them off.
- Sclerotherapy: This is only used for spider veins. Sclerosant solution is directly injected into the spider veins using tiny needles.
What are the advantages of minimally invasive vein treatment?
Minimally invasive treatment is more convenient and comfortable as compared to varicose vein surgery. It is equally effective, and the results achieved are equivalent to complete vein removal. It has several advantages over varicose vein surgery:
- Minimally invasive vein treatment is usually comfortable for the patient. Therefore, you will not need advanced general or spinal anesthesia. Most procedures are done using a simple numbing injection; more modern techniques like VenaSeal and ClariVein forego even this injection.
- As anesthesia is not requires, you will not need extensive laboratory tests that are usually part of the package.
- Minimally invasive vein treatment can be done as an outpatient procedure in the doctor’s office. You would only need to report on the day of the appointment, and the actual procedure lasts for only an hour. On the other hand, vein surgery may require admission into a hospital.
- Minimally invasive vein treatment procedures do not require prolonged recovery times. You can leave the vein doctor’s office almost immediately after the procedure is complete, and you can return to your normal routine almost immediately. There is no need for bed rest or need to take time off work.
- There are minimal complications following minimally invasive vein treatment. You may experience slight pain and swelling, but this is quickly overcome with prescription medication that your vein doctor will give you. Wearing compression stockings for a couple of weeks after vein treatment can help bring down the swelling and will improve treatment outcomes. You are also encouraged to walk daily after the procedure as it can improve the healing process.
Looking for varicose vein treatment in Houston? Meet our leading Vein doctor in Houston: Dr. Calvin Jung
If you live in or near Houston, Texas, you are in luck: The Vein Treatment Clinic has one of its top locations in Houston, Texas, right near the famous shopping mall, The Galleria.
At VTC, Texas, you can consult with Dr. Calvin Jung, who is the medical director and clinical trainer at this location. Dr. Jung trained at New York University and is a double board certified surgeon. With a cosmetic surgery background, Dr. Jung is trained to be a skilled perfectionist. His compassionate nature and innate sense of humor will soon put you at ease throughout your consultation and vein treatment.
Besides Houston, the Vein Treatment clinic has branches in key locations all across the United States. You can schedule a consultation with any of our vein experts, and even check your insurance coverage by going online, or calling 855-699-2004.
To learn more about our accredited vein centers, please visit www.veintreatmentclinic.com. Our spider and varicose vein treatment clinics are certified by the IAC as vascular imaging centers and vein treatment centers of excellence. We have local affiliates in New York, Long Island, New Jersey, Texas and California, all of which are held to the highest standards of patient-centered, compassionate, care. We offer the latest technology at every location, and our harvard-trained medical directors lead a collaborative effort to ensure the best outcome for every patient we meet.
Book a Consultation
Scheduling a consultation with one of our vein treatment experts is one of the best ways to determine the proper resolution for your varicose veins. The treatments can include sclerotherapy, laser or radiofrequency ablation, a medication called Varithena, or procedures such as Venaseal, or Clarivein.
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