Before & After
- The treatment takes less than an hour and provides immediate relief of symptoms.
- Immediate return to normal activity with little or no pain. There may be minor soreness or bruising, which can be treated with over-the-counter pain relievers.
- No scar. Because the procedure does not require a surgical incision, just a nick in the skin, about the size of a pencil tip, there are no scars or stitches.
- High success rate and low recurrence rate compared to surgery.
- The success rate ranges for vein ablation ranges from 93 - 95 percent.
Before Vein Ablation |
After Vein Ablation |
Insurance
Many insurance carriers cover the vein ablation treatment, based on medical necessity for symptom relief.
Additional Treatments for Varicose Veins
Behavioral changes can help prevent the formation of varicose veins.
- Cross the legs at the ankles instead of the knees when sitting.
- Avoid high heels, which limit the use of the calf muscles.
- Avoid restrictive clothing which limit blood flow in the groin or calf.
- Avoid prolonged sitting or standing.
- Take breaks to elevate the legs or walk around to help move the blood along and prevent valve failure.
Ambulatory phlebectomy is a minimally invasive surgical technique used to treat varicose veins that are not caused by saphenous vein reflux. The abnormal vein is removed through a tiny incision or incisions using a special set of tools. The procedure is done under local anesthesia, and typically takes under an hour. Recovery is rapid, and most patients do not need to interrupt regular activity after ambulatory phlebectomy.
Injection sclerotherapy can also be used to treat some varicose and nearly all spider veins. An extremely fine needle is used to inject the vein with a solution which shrinks the vein.
Learn More About
Content materials provided with permission from the Society for Interventional Radiology. For more information, please visit their web site at www.sirweb.org.