An Overview of Minimally Invasive Treatments at the Vein Center in TX

Step 1: We examine your leg veins and discuss your symptoms

Your varicose vein and spider vein treatment process starts with an initial consultation and examination. The vein doctor will examine your leg veins to identify the visible signs of vein disease, such as spider veins, varicose veins, and skin discoloration. The vein doctor will also ask you to describe your symptoms, such as leg heaviness, restless leg syndrome, leg heaviness, frequent leg cramps, and leg swelling. These are some of the most common signs and symptoms of chronic venous insufficiency, the root cause of most vein problems.

Step 2: We perform advanced vascular imaging tests

After the physical examination, the vein doctor will schedule your vascular imaging test, also known as duplex ultrasound. During the doppler ultrasound scan, the sonographer will move a handheld device on your legs to project an image of your leg veins on the computer screen. The vein doctor will study the direction of blood flow in your leg veins to determine if you have chronic venous insufficiency — backward blood flow and accumulated blood in the leg veins are indicators of vein disease.

Diagnosing chronic venous insufficiency is essential for effective minimally invasive spider vein and varicose vein treatments. Treating spider veins without addressing the root cause is like painting a stained wall without fixing the leaky pipes underneath. The stains (spider veins) will inevitably return until the underlying leak isn’t fixed. Our vein doctors always diagnose vein disease, which allows them to curate a comprehensive vein treatment plan ensuring long-lasting results with a negligible risk of recurrence.

Step 3: We treat chronic venous insufficiency with minimally invasive procedures

If you have chronic venous insufficiency, your vein doctor will recommend one of the following minimally invasive vein treatments: radiofrequency ablation, endovenous laser ablation, or venaseal. These vein treatments have the same underlying goal — destroy or seal the diseased saphenous vein, thereby liberating the accumulated blood to flow into healthier leg veins. However, all vein treatments accomplish this goal using different techniques.

Radiofrequency Ablation

The vein doctor makes a small incision on the skin’s surface to insert a catheter, under ultrasound guidance, into the diseased saphenous vein. The catheter generates radiofrequency waves to collapse the diseased vein, rerouting the accumulated blood into healthier leg veins.

Endovenous Laser Ablation

The vein doctor makes a small incision on the skin’s surface to insert an endovenous laser, under ultrasound guidance, into the affected saphenous vein. The laser fiber generates laser energy to destroy the diseased vein, restoring effective blood circulation to the heart.

VenaSeal

The vein doctor injects an FDA-approved, medical-grade adhesive into the diseased saphenous vein. The vein glue seals the diseased vein’s walls, turning it into a hardened tissue eventually absorbed by the body.

Step 4: We remove superficial varicose veins and spider veins

If you don’t have chronic venous insufficiency or after the primary vein treatment, the vein doctor will conduct your cosmetic treatment. At this stage, the vein doctor may perform an ambulatory phlebectomy or sclerotherapy to remove superficial varicose veins and spider veins. These procedures can’t address the root cause of varicose veins and spider veins, so they should only be performed if you don’t have chronic venous insufficiency.

Ambulatory Phlebectomy

The vein specialist makes small incisions on the skin’s surface, through which all the superficial varicose veins are manually extracted. The incision marks gradually heal and fade away from the skin’s surface.

Sclerotherapy

The vein specialist injects a medicine called a sclerosant into the spider veins. The spider veins harden into scar tissues that eventually get dissolved and fade away from the skin’s surface.

Step 5: We discuss post-treatment recovery guidelines and aftercare

Minimally invasive spider vein and varicose vein treatments are in-office procedures that conclude within 30 to 60 minutes. After the procedure, the vein doctor will apply pressure on your leg veins while you stand up. You’ll have to walk around a little to facilitate blood flow and prevent blood from pooling in your leg veins. The vein doctor will ask you to wear compression stockings and avoid heavy lifting for a few days. However, you can resume most of your daily activities and work immediately after the vein treatment.