Varicose Veins

Phases of Treatment

1. Initial Evaluation and Consultation: During your initial consultation, your legs will be examined and the extent of your varicose veins assessed. If necessary, an ultrasound exam may be recommended to determine which veins are responsible for your symptoms. If you have only the smaller spider veins, you may still need an ultrasound to rule out larger vein involvement. You can schedule this ultrasound at your initial consultation.  Approx. 30-45 minutes.
2. Venous Ultrasound: During this in-depth ultrasound, the sonographer will examine and map out the veins in your legs, noting any abnormal or diseased veins. This exam will take approximately 45 minutes per leg to complete. Having a complete venous ultrasound is an important step in determining the cause of your varicose veins and will assist your physician in recommendations for care. Your insurance company will also want this report for authorization of any further treatment. Approx. 45 minutes (per leg).
3. Treatment Plan: During this visit, you will have the opportunity to discuss the results of your ultrasound exam with your physician. Then you will discuss your treatment options, including risks and benefits of each recommended treatment. You can schedule subsequent treatment(s) with Via Vascular staff at this visit. Approx. 30-45 minutes.
4. Treatment: Your physician will usually first try methods that don’t involve surgery to relieve your symptoms. These may include preventive techniques or the use of compression stockings. If your varicose veins do not respond to this conservative therapy, additional treatment may be required.

Fortunately, new minimally invasive techniques such as endovenous laser treatment and microphlebectomy now allow effective treatment of varicose veins with no hospital stay, no scarring, minimal postoperative pain, and nearly immediate relief from your symptoms.

Endovenous Laser Treatment

EndoVenous Laser Treatment (EVLT) is a quick minimally-invasive laser procedure that has shown a 98% success rate providing relief from painful and unsightly legs to people suffering from varicose veins. Approx. 60-90 minutes.

• Begin taking the prescribed antibiotic the day before your procedure.
• We recommend you wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing to your appointment.
• Prior to arrival, prescribed topical ointment may be applied to the affected leg. Any anti-anxiety medication prescribed by your physician should be brought with you to your appointment. Do not take this prior to arrival. Be sure to arrange for a driver after your procedure.
• Upon arrival, you will be taken to a private exam room and provided a pair of shorts to change into. Via Vascular staff will be available to answer any questions at this time.
• Next, your physician will perform a quick ultrasound to assess the best site to access the affected veins.
• A member of our staff will wash your leg with sterilizing solution and place sterile drapes over your leg so that only the treatment site is visible to the physician.
• Following sterilization, a small laser fiber is inserted through into the damaged vein through a small needle stick in the skin. Local anesthesia is injected around the vein. This ensures that the heat from the laser will only treat the affected vein.
• Pulses of laser light are administered inside the vein as the laser fiber is withdrawn down the length of the vein. These pulses of light cause the vein to collapse and seal shut. This portion of the procedure takes approximately 2-3 minutes.
• Brief pressure is held at the access site to stop bleeding. Soon, a bandage and compression stocking are placed on the treated leg and the procedure is finished.
• Patients are asked to walk for 20 to 30 minutes immediately following treatment to promote blood flow to the treated leg(s).

Follow-up Ultrasound: A follow-up ultrasound exam will be performed 3-5 days after your procedure to assess progress and potential complications. Approx. 30 minutes.

Follow-up Visits: A follow-up visit 6 weeks after treatment will be scheduled so that Via Vascular staff can review your progress, answer remaining questions, or determine if further treatment is needed. Approx. 30 minutes.

Microphlebectomy

Microphlebectomy is the minimally invasive surgical technique recommended for treatment for large surface varicose veins used in conjuction with endovenous closure. Approx. 60 minutes.

• Begin taking the prescribed antibiotic the day before your procedure.
• We recommend you wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing to your appointment.
• Prior to arrival, prescribed topical ointment may be applied to the affected leg. Any anti-anxiety medication prescribed by your physician should be brought with you to your appointment. Do not take this prior to arrival. Be sure to arrange for a driver after your procedure.
• Upon arrival, you will be taken to a private exam room and provided a pair of shorts to change into. Via Vascular staff will be available to answer any questions at this time.
• Next, your physician will outline the veins to be treated with a marker.
• A member of our staff will wash your leg with sterilizing solution and place sterile drapes over your leg so that only the treatment site is visible to the physician.
• The abnormal or diseased veins are accessed and removed through a series of pinhole perforations using a special set of instruments.
• Small bandages or steri-strips are placed over the puncture sites and a bandage and compression stocking are placed on the treated leg.
• Patients are asked to walk for 20 to 30 minutes immediately following treatment to promote blood flow to the treated leg(s).

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